There’s no feeling quite like going into a movie and not knowing what the fuck it was about. Up in the Air based on Walter Kirn’s book of the same name, gives you that rare treat.

Damn, it’s hard to write a review for this without spoiling it… fuck.

George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a man who travels around the country to various workplaces and conducts employee layoffs on behalf of bosses too cowardly to do it themselves. On occasion, he delivers motivational speeches about the virtue of a relationship-free life, often using a backpack analogy. He relishes the comfort of being anonymous during his perpetual travels. He does not have a personal life and chooses to stay away from his family (although he pays his family a visit during his sister’s wedding). He is close to achieving his personal goal of 10 million frequent flyer miles. Truly baller.

During his frequent flying, he meets a woman named Alex, played by Vera Farmiga, with whom Bingham starts to pursue a somewhat casual relationship. Bingham receives a business partner, Natalie Keener, played by Anna Kendrick, a young, ambitious, but still naïve graduate.

During the course of the movie, Clooney gets schooled on what is truly important in life. As he goes from place to place, firing people and listening to their stories.

When all is said and done. You’re left just as the movie says “Up in the Air”. The movie was filmed on location in a bunch of airports, that was pretty badass. It’s worth your money. One of the best of the year. I just wish it was longer.

A-