Directed by Jason Reitman By Steve Norton
Rated 14A *****
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
“How much does your life weigh?”
This is the question that is asked in Jason Reitman’s profound film, Up in the Air… and it could not be appropriate than in today’s culture. Although the novel for Up in the Air (Walter Kirn) was first written in 2001 and the film went into pre-production in mid-2008, it could not have proven more timely than at its release. As the world grapples with the effects of the ‘economic downturn’ and rising unemployment, Up in the Air seeks to delve into the core values of North American culture. In doing so, Reitman manages to contemporize an age-old question as he wrestles with what is really important in life.
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a man who makes his living travelling across the country, firing people when their bosses are too cowardly to do so. His motivational speech ‘What’s in your backpack?’ is a testament to his quest for individual achievement, symbolized by his mission of acquiring 10 million air miles. Travelling 260 days a year, he proudly lives out of his suitcase and feels a strong sense of comfort in the ‘elite status’ that his travels have bestowed upon him. That is, until he is called into the boss’ office and instructed to bring their young protégée, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) on the road with him so that he can ‘show her the ropes’. This change in his routine, in combination his encounter with the feisty Alex (Vera Farmiga) – who refers to herself as the ‘female version’ of Ryan) – begins to challenge his worldview of disconnectedness and invites him to question the value of his way of life.
Thematically, there is much to digest and engage, especially for the church. At its core, the film wrestles with the question of success. Bingham’s motivational speech establishes his belief that success is merely the next job. Says Bingham, “Make no mistake. Moving is living. We’re not swans. We’re sharks.” This mantra dictates the way he lives and the way he engages others. He remains disconnected from those he is called to fire (he states that it’s better not to know their names) and refuses to be tied down by family relationships (as indicated when his sister reminds him that he’s ‘basically dead’ to them). Yet, although there are times when Bingham appears to be right in his philosophy (as revealed in Natalie’s relationship with her boyfriend), the film continuously draws the viewer back to the overall hollowness of that ideology. For Reitman, success lies in the value of one’s relationships and their connectedness. Connection is the reality of this generation (and actually is a theme which pervades Reitman’s previous work, Juno). Most fascinating to me is that this film identifies online connection as cold and, ultimately, ineffective. In fact, in one of the film’s more powerful moments, Natalie is forced to fire someone online, despite the fact that she would much rather do so in person. Given this generation’s emphasis on hyperconnectivity, I.found this argument surprising and even controversial. The question of connection is extremely relevant to the church and, I believe, requires more reflection than I can do in a short review.
What’s more, Up in the Air also makes a powerful argument for the value of one’s humanity. Although he had at first thought of using professional actors, Reitman instead invited people who have actually been fired to play the employees who are being let go. In order to maintain a sense of reality, Reitman encouraged them to say and do the very things they told their employers at their dismissal. The result brings a sense of gravitas to the film as people are allowed to bear their souls on camera. These people are more than just nameless characters in a film. They are real people with families and lives that are being affected by business decisions. Oddly enough, it was on this level that I felt the film became most relevant to the state of the church today. If the church is ever to properly engage and speak into the culture for the Kingdom, we must be aware of the humanity of the people with whom we’re ministering. Simply memorizing evangelical platitudes and strategies is not enough if the church desires to be relevant in our world today. We must be fully aware of the stories of those around us and speak into them lovingly. Too often, evangelistic opportunities have been about communicating the Gospel and ignoring the person (not to mention, never following up—as is the case with Bingham). Instead, we must listen and hear in order to ever be able to properly communicate Kingdom truth.
Make no mistake, this film is nothing short of remarkable. Jason Reitman—who has quickly established himself as one Hollywood’s premier young talents—weaves an intricate narrative, without offering any particularly easy answers to the questions that he’s asking. As Bingham, Clooney gives the most raw performance of his career to date. It is honest, penetrating and even self-deprecating (especially given that he is arguably Hollywood’s biggest star and really does portray himself as the consummate bachelor). The female leads (Farmiga and Kendrick) are revelations in their performances and manage to stay in step with Clooney’s performance (and, in some cases, even upstage him). Nevertheless, I also believe that there is much for the church to engage within this film as well. Themes of the nature of humanity and connectedness have never been more relevant to our culture and we, as the Kingdom of God, must be able to speak to these issues. For these reasons, this film quickly becomes a relatable tool for congregations and a valuable reality check for the church in its relationship with the community.
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