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Up In The Air

the review

Up in the air is a dramatic comedy about the quintesential batchelor, Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), who's a terminator.   He's a professional hired by companies to terminate employees for them in a one-on-one setting.  He is smooth and to the point, going from one city to the next firing people.

Ryan is obsessed with his frequent flyer reward cards that give him VIP access  to everything from flights, hotels, car rentals and restaurants.   He's loving this life style insulated from the real world. 

He meets Alex (Vera Farmiga) as he eats dinner in the lounge of a hotel.   They discover that they have a lot in common.   Alex is cool, but sexy and witty.  She also travels solo and enjoys all the same perks that go with a frequent flyer.

Ryan and Alex like each other, and there relationship takes on a romantic flavor as they meet up in different cites in their travels.   They agree to have no commitment to each other. 

Meanwhile, Ryan's employer is convinced by Natalie Keener, a young efficiency expert to save on travel expenses to go high tech and conduct the terminations from  computer hookups.   Of course this doesn't fit very well into Ryan's lifestyle.   He convinces his boss to have Natalie shadow him as he travels from city to city conducting his work.  He has to change her way of thinking, so as not to mess with his perks. 

Along the way Natalie meets Alex, and can't understand why neither Alex or Ryan don't want a committed relationship with someone. 

Ryan heads home to attend his sister's wedding and invites Alex to come as his date.   He shows her around his home town, and they start seeing each other in a whole different light, and like what they see.

As Ryan reflects on his life, and wonders if there might be more to it  than just the friendly skies. 

I loved this movie.  It's different and jumps around a bit...but it's good. 

I give it 4 out of 5 airplanes.