Don't let the trailers for "Up in the Air" fool you - the latest George Clooney flick is far from a romantic comedy.
That's not to say it doesn't have its share of romance and humour - we are talking Clooney here - but deeper themes of making human connections and finding your way in a struggling economy are what really resonate here. This, combined with an outstanding performance from Clooney, is what makes the latest effort from director Jason Reitman not just good, but great, and the reason why the film has already generated plenty of Oscar buzz.
Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a smooth-talking executive who is outsourced by companies across the U.S. to assist in mass lay-offs. He flies in, breaks the news to the unsuspecting employees, gives his slick spiel about how this is "just the beginning" for them and flies out.
It's a job that puts him on the road 300 days a year and he wouldn't have it any other way.
The movie opens with Clooney getting set for his next trip, breezing through security like a pro, avoiding lines with old people and strollers, and relaxing in the airport lounge like he's in the comfort of his living room. He has no time for relationships - whether that is a significant other or his family, as his only goal in life is to accumulate frequent flyer miles, in hopes of earning the elite status of 10 million miles. He even gives seminars about the burden people can be, using an "empty backpack" analogy that encourages participants to ditch extra "baggage" in their lives.
But he hits some turbulence when he meets another high-powered executive (played by Vera Farmiga) and starts to contemplate whether he really does want to fly solo.
The sparks fly as the two compare status cards and miles accumulated and develop a romance that depends on the two of them having a layover in the same city.
Clooney, whose trademark charm and wit are in full force, plays the role of a drifting bachelor to a T, but then again he has some real-life experience in the area.
When asked during the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) if he saw any similarities between him and his character, he wittingly replied "We are the same height," before passing the question on to Reitman.
"The first time you read the script you said you see some connections and that's what excites you about the script, that you want to stare it straight in the eyes," Reitman said to Clooney. "I thought that was incredibly brave and I think this is one of the most vulnerable performances you've ever done."
Another strong performance comes from newcomer Anna Kendrick, who plays a young and seemingly ruthless efficiency expert who is sent on the road with Clooney to get some real-world experience and learn from the best. But she ends up teaching him some important lessons as well.
When Reitman, who was nominated for an Oscar for "Juno," started making this film, the U.S. was in an economic boom and the word recession wasn't on anyone's radar. The movie was intended as a satire but as they started to film in St. Louis, Miss., and Detroit, Mich., - coincidentally two of the hardest hit cities in the States for job loss - Reitman realized it was the furthest thing from it.
"Over the six years it took me to write this movie, obviously the world changed ... I realized that these satirical humour scenes about getting fired weren't so funny anymore."
Reitman interviewed real-life people who lost their jobs, after placing an ad in the local newspaper, and 25 of them are featured in the final cut. It brings an unexpected realism to the film.
"As we were working on the film along the way it became clear that it was less and less a comedy... and suddenly it felt more timely than ever. It felt like we were sort of at the exact right moment to be making the film," said Clooney.
A surprise favourite amongst critics at TIFF, "Up in the Air" is as sad as it is uplifting, and leaves more of an impression than you might first anticipate.
Three stars out of four.
