Up In The Air DVD
George Clooney plays the much traveled Ryan Bingham who travels the country as a corporate hired gun for laying people off, yes he fires people for a living.
Film making 24/25
Video 22/25
Audio 22/25
Bonus Features 8/25
Total 76/100
Ryan Bingham travels the country in the knowledgeable frequent flyer fashion, one suitcase with easily removable shoes and the privilege of getting to the front of the line due to his miles. He wants to add the most frequent flyer miles because he wants the coveted 10 million miles prestige which is his major goal in life.
Ryan travels the country firing people, laying off is the nice term, for companies too cowardly to do it themselves and does it with relish and feeling. In one scene Ryan is speaking to a newly unemployed person, the man was understandably upset but Ryan saw past his emotion and explained how he can now go out and chase his dreams.
When the man was about to launch Ryan into the next room with a broken jaw Ryan explained how he saw the man's resume and the minor in French cuisine he had there. While most business graduates have minors in other areas the man who Ryan fired had a minor in cooking so Ryan saw he had a missed opportunity in cooking.
The man left not feeling like he had been dropped from the payroll but that he had a new opportunity to follow a dream. Ryan does this for a living and from this one episode shows he not only is good at his job but really does take the time to care.
Before this Ryan meets another frequent flyer who professes to the same type of carefree and on the road lifestyle and has a few layover liaisons when their schedules coincide. Ryan winds up hitting his 10 million miles and the perks that come with a very frequent flyer before the end of the film.
Before Ryan shows us he has a heart he finds out his own job is in peril as he and his fellow layoff experts are called back to the office for a look at their future. Like other corporations his has decided to cut spending and fire people over computers so he sets out on a last trip to train a new coworker before they wind up on the road layoffs and do things from behind a desk.
Ryan also finds out some other news that is also life changing for him but I will leave that for the film as it did surprise me as well as made the story deeper and more emotional. Ryan shows he is a man who does care about what he is doing even when he is showing a loyal employee the last of his current career.
Up In The Air is a well made story turned into a really good and heartfelt movie with some great funny lines thrown in here and there. There are surprises at many turns and good acting across the board for a really well made film, this is a collection mainstay for any movie fan.
Up In The Air has a great story and is well made both in video and audio for the standard DVD edition with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound in English, French and Spanish with subtitles in those languages as well. Video and audio are well done and the usual standard quality that comes with the DVD edition so I was not surprised for the quality or the bonus content.
The DVD edition has deleted scenes, audio commentary and a look at the opening sequence but nothing more and what is here is about the usual for a DVD release. Up In The Air has been nominated for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress for Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick.
Vera Farmiga plays Alex who is also a frequent flyer and the romantic interest of Ryan's while Anna Kendrick plays the ambitious new coworker of Ryan's. Both performances are great and deserving of the attention of an Oscar nomination while George Clooney does his usual best as lead actor.
Up In The Air takes on a new theme and gives life to an unusual niche field in corporate business and shows that even due to unusual and often unpleasant circumstances even good things can happen. Up In The Air is a must have for anyone's movie collection, the only question here is if you want the DVD release for a good movie or the quality boost and extras included in the Blu-ray edition.