Review of Up in the Air (2009) by Richard M — 12 Nov 2011

I thought "Juno" was annoyingly overrated, but I enjoyed "Up in the Air" more than expected. It's an excellent screenplay which avoids a couple of clichéd plot developments which wouldn't ring as true, and George Clooney gives what's arguably the signature performance of his career. Anna Kendrick is also excellent, though her crucial breakdown scene stretches a bit beyond her acting chops. Too bad Jason Bateman is mostly wasted on a small role, but that's life. On the other hand, J.K. Simmons takes even a smaller part and slays with it.

Interesting to note the similarities between Clooney's character and Aaron Eckhart's character in "Thank You for Smoking" -- director Jason Reitman may be on his way to shaping an identity as the conscience of corporate America.

Meanwhile, hearing Elliott Smith, Graham Nash and other introspective balladeers on the soundtrack made me realize again that "The Graduate" could be the most influential pop soundtrack ever. Hmm...let me ponder that claim for awhile.