Up in the Air: What's in Your Backpack?
Okay, so I know the whole backpack metaphor is a bit obvious, but the truth is, it works. I was completely swept
away by Jason Reitman's third feature film, Up in the Air. Does our hero's third act revelation come as a
shock to any of us? Of course not. Yes, from the very beginning we see a self-consumed man who will, we assume,
over the course of the next two hours learn the value of relationships and putting others before himself. No big
surprises. But the way Reitman and his performers handle this material is outstanding.
The film is very funny, beautifully juggling its comedy and the pathos, and George Clooney's performance is a
marvel of subtle transformation. Yes, he the cliched big ah-hah moment in the middle of a speech, but we're able
to follow every nuanced step leading up to that moment of transformation. Thankfully, Reitman doesn't let the film wrap
everything up with a tidy, happy ending. The film's final moments are a pitch-perfect blend of resolve and sadness,
yet we still have hope that change is possible.
As deft as the script and the performances are, they are more than matched by Reitman's direction. He and his
cinematographer, Eric Steelberg, find beautiful shots and gorgeous compositions throughout the film. Most of the
Oscar-bait films released during awards season end up with a very pedestrian sense of framing and scene composition
- they just tell the story and little else. Yet, Reitman and Steelberg use their shots wisely, showing their
steady hand in the art of visual communication, telling more with one visual moment than they could in almost five
minutes of dialogue.
Up in the Air is a timely film, and not just because it hits on the mass layoffs and downsizings throughout
America. The truth is, we live in a culture that is increasingly disconnected, increasingly isolated. We have
become so good at compartmentalizing our lives that we don't see anything wrong with living as two, three, sometimes
four different people. And that kind of division within our own person means that we never truly allow ourselves to know
and be known by others.
The film ends with a montage of non-actors who have lost their jobs during this current recession. They all
speak to the fact that the only way they've been able to make it through this very difficult stage in their lives
is through the help and support of their friends and family. Again, it seems obvious. But, speaking as someone
who was recently laid off, there was something genuinely reassuring and quite moving in these testimonials which
closed out the story of a disconnected and untethered man. Because of my wife, my family and friends, and my
faith, I was able to make it through one of the most difficult and trying times in my life. Up in the Air
is a moving film that reminds us how important it is to be in community, in relationship, in fellowship with others.
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The Flood
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Perfect -
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My Own Personal Superhero - Featured Writings:
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A Year of Movies and Music, Text and Television: My Favorite Art of 2009 -
Please Don't Call It a Skit -
Everything I Learned About Life, About Faith, About God, I Learned Directing Players -
Watching the Pot -
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