Imagine a person who travels so much and is so emotionally unavailable that he prefers the artificial environments of airports to home.  In fact, in "Up In The Air" one of the first things we find out about Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is that all the things that might irritate us about airports - the bad food, the security measures, etc, feel like "home" to him.

Interesting character with lots of potential.

The story is adapted from a novel by  Walter Kirn.  Bingham, the main character, is a professional corporate downsizer (job terminator.)  Even more to the point, he works for a company that is hired by other companies to do their dirty work.  They come in when companies need to dump a work force and handle it for them.  Bingham has a specific and time-tested way to do this.  

He doesn't condescend to the terminated and he's supportive without being chummy. He's good at what he does and the fact that he's devastating people's lives doesn't have a huge emotional impact on him so no long term repercussions - or so he thinks.  He's content and thriving.  Eventually, his way of life and employment will be threatened but let's not get ahead of the story.

As mentioned, Bingham loves to travel.  In a hotel bar in an opening sequence, he small talks potential sexual conquest Alex Goran (the stunning and sexy Vera Farmiga) by comparing rental car companies and their strengths.  Then they swap plastic courtesy cards and she is massively turned on by his mythical American Airlines concierge key.  

When they compare frequent flier miles and she confesses to only 60k / year, asking his numbers, he refuses, saying it's personal and she says "Come on, show some hubris - impress me."  

 A bit broad and artificially funny but also deliciously done.

I wish I could put all the dialogue in that scene in a bottle and sprinkle it on everything I write.  That's how good it is with two veteran actors making it work by delivering it to pitch-perfect perfection.

Bingham's ideal existence is challenged by corporate spark plug Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) who is developing a way to dismiss people using a webcam and a script.  Pushbutton dimissals.  No more traveling.  This horrofies and threatens the Binghm character's existence.  Clooney objects, saying she has no idea what she's doing and the boss decides to put them on the road together so the young pup can learn from the old dog.

At this point, you'd think maybe this was romantic comedy material.  Nope.  They aren't interested in each other even when Kendrick's boyfriend breaks up with her via a text message.  She's around solely to poke his conscience, tell him that his existence is a shadow of what it could be if only he'd find someone to love.  In fact, at some point she even disappears from the storyline and we don't pick her back up until the end.  

With her out of the story, "Up In The Air" lags and isn't nearly as sparkling as it was.  The two of them made a good team - her Yin to his Yang.  Once gone, the story becomes a bit tedious and mundane.

We miss moments like:

   Clooney: "I'm like my mother.  I stereotype - it's faster."

    Clooney to her on plane where she's typing hard:  "Are you mad at your computer?"  Her: "I type with purpose."

The Kendrick character is both an archetype and stereotype at times.  Her 1st real dismissal interview is too easy - too easy for him to be the hero because she's such a cluelss dork.  But she's got a good presence and it is sorely missed when Clooney has to work the  story himself.

The movie takes a completely different turn as Bingham and Alex ( Farmiga) bond after Kendrick goes away.  He shows her his high schol in Wisconsin, takes her to his neice's wedding, etc.  Why?  What function do these scenes serve.  There's really no moment when he realizes he's left this community life behind and become this island of himself.  There's also no reason given as to what event(s) pushed him into that lifestyle.  Abusive parents?  Selfish and handsome?  What?  But perhaps the entire sequence is meant to convey that.  If so, it is really weak and aimless.

I won't detail the ending Act because it has a lot of fun reversals in it.  It does keep you guessing at to what's going to happen and that's good.

Not a yuck fest, not a great drama, "Up In The Air" strikes an interesting balance between both but also fails to do either at times leaving you detached and uninvolved.  It's not sweet enough to leave you feeling happy, not sour enough to leave you wryly intrigued.  Perhaps that the place the filmmakers wanted.  For me, it felt a little unsatisfying.

I have no strong desire to see this film again.  But I am glad I saw it once.

Strong performances, solid material and a good job by director Jason Reitman (but not a Best Director win in my opinion.)  I also doubt that this film will get anywhere near the votes to win Best Picture.