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IMDbPro

Up in the Air

  • 20092009
  • RR
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
333K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,367
394
George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air (2009)
Ryan Bingham is a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and just after he's met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.
Play trailer2:33
13 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance
Ryan Bingham enjoys living out of a suitcase for his job, travelling around the country firing people, but finds that lifestyle threatened by the presence of a potential love interest, and a... Read allRyan Bingham enjoys living out of a suitcase for his job, travelling around the country firing people, but finds that lifestyle threatened by the presence of a potential love interest, and a new hire presenting a new business model.Ryan Bingham enjoys living out of a suitcase for his job, travelling around the country firing people, but finds that lifestyle threatened by the presence of a potential love interest, and a new hire presenting a new business model.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
333K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,367
394
  • Director
    • Jason Reitman
  • Writers
    • Walter Kirn(novel)
    • Jason Reitman(screenplay)
    • Sheldon Turner(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • George Clooney
    • Vera Farmiga
    • Anna Kendrick
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jason Reitman
  • Writers
    • Walter Kirn(novel)
    • Jason Reitman(screenplay)
    • Sheldon Turner(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • George Clooney
    • Vera Farmiga
    • Anna Kendrick
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 571User reviews
    • 408Critic reviews
    • 83Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 6 Oscars
      • 75 wins & 171 nominations total

    Videos13

    Up in the Air: Trailer #2
    Trailer 2:33
    Up in the Air: Trailer #2
    Up in the Air: Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 2:01
    Up in the Air: Teaser Trailer
    'Up in the Air' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:37
    'Up in the Air' | Anniversary Mashup
    "Something Real" from Up in the Air
    Clip 0:55
    "Something Real" from Up in the Air
    "I Am Not a Tour Guide" from Up in the Air
    Clip 0:38
    "I Am Not a Tour Guide" from Up in the Air
    "Everyone Needs a Co-Pilot" from Up in the Air
    Clip 2:03
    "Everyone Needs a Co-Pilot" from Up in the Air
    Up in the Air: "Order Five Meals"
    Clip 1:20
    Up in the Air: "Order Five Meals"
    Up in the Air: "Bar Club Cards"
    Clip 1:09
    Up in the Air: "Bar Club Cards"
    Jason Reitman on Up in the Air
    Featurette 2:49
    Jason Reitman on Up in the Air
    Up In The Air
    Interview 0:39
    Up In The Air
    Up In The Air
    Interview 0:37
    Up In The Air
    Up In The Air
    Interview 0:29
    Up In The Air

    Photos102

    George Clooney, Melanie Lynskey, and Danny McBride in Up in the Air (2009)
    Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air (2009)
    George Clooney and Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air (2009)
    Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air (2009)
    George Clooney and Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air (2009)
    George Clooney and Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air (2009)
    George Clooney and Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air (2009)
    Melanie Lynskey and Danny McBride in Up in the Air (2009)
    George Clooney and Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air (2009)
    George Clooney, Melanie Lynskey, and Amy Morton in Up in the Air (2009)
    George Clooney and Jason Reitman in Up in the Air (2009)
    George Clooney and Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    George Clooney
    George Clooney
    • Ryan Binghamas Ryan Bingham
    Vera Farmiga
    Vera Farmiga
    • Alex Goranas Alex Goran
    Anna Kendrick
    Anna Kendrick
    • Natalie Keeneras Natalie Keener
    Jason Bateman
    Jason Bateman
    • Craig Gregoryas Craig Gregory
    Amy Morton
    Amy Morton
    • Kara Binghamas Kara Bingham
    Melanie Lynskey
    Melanie Lynskey
    • Julie Binghamas Julie Bingham
    J.K. Simmons
    J.K. Simmons
    • Bobas Bob
    Sam Elliott
    Sam Elliott
    • Maynard Finchas Maynard Finch
    Danny McBride
    Danny McBride
    • Jim Milleras Jim Miller
    Zach Galifianakis
    Zach Galifianakis
    • Steveas Steve
    Christopher Lowell
    Christopher Lowell
    • Kevinas Kevin
    • (as Chris Lowell)
    Steve Eastin
    Steve Eastin
    • Samuelsas Samuels
    Marvin Young
    Marvin Young
    • Young MCas Young MC
    Cut Chemist
    • Conference DJas Conference DJ
    Adrienne Lamping
    • Tammyas Tammy
    Meagan Flynn
    Meagan Flynn
    • Flight Attendantas Flight Attendant
    Dustin Miles
    Dustin Miles
    • Nedas Ned
    Tamara Tungate
    • Club Hostessas Club Hostess
    • Director
      • Jason Reitman
    • Writers
      • Walter Kirn(novel)
      • Jason Reitman(screenplay)
      • Sheldon Turner(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A large number of the people we see fired in the film are not actors, but people who were recently laid off. The filmmakers put out ads in St. Louis and Detroit posing as a documentary crew looking to document the effect of the recession. When people showed up, they were instructed to treat the camera like the person who fired them and respond as they did, or use the opportunity to say what they wished they had. A way to discern who are the actors, and who are the real people, is that the real people do not have dialogue with George Clooney or Anna Kendrick, as they were shot separately. Jason Reitman did this intentionally, feeling that the real people would freak out Clooney and Kendrick.
    • Goofs
      When pictures of Ryan's sister and her fiancé's cardboard cutout are taken at sites of interest, you can see the hand of the person holding the photo. When the pictures are displayed, even Ryan's, the hand of the person holding the cardboard cutout has disappeared. However, the photos were taken using a digital camera. The clone tool and other techniques could have been used to "photoshop" the hand out.
    • Quotes

      Ryan Bingham: [on the docks in Miami] You know that moment when you look into somebody's eyes and you can feel them staring into your soul and the whole world goes quiet just for a second?

      Natalie Keener: Yes.

      Ryan Bingham: [shrugs] Right. Well, I don't.

      Natalie Keener: you're an asshole.

    • Crazy credits
      There is a voice recording by Kevin Renick addressing to Jason Reitman mid-credit, stating the reason he wrote the song and the original recording of the song.
    • Connections
      Edited into De wereld draait door: Episode #5.84 (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      This Land Is Your Land
      (1940)

      Written by Woody Guthrie

      Performed by Performed by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (as The Dap-Kings)

      Courtesy of Daptone Records

    User reviews571

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Bring your own wine
    I really liked the movie, it kind of invites you to bring your own wine. There's a lot of probing into modern life and relationships, and it's up to you what you take from the film and what you feel for each of the characters. I was quite grateful for having seen Reitman's Thank You For Smoking (2005) previously, because both movies are really arch in the way they set up people in thoroughly pariah job roles and then get you to warm to them. So it didn't really come as a shock to see Clooney as an HR consultant (Ryan Bingham) whose job is to fire people in redundancy exercises where the management are too yeller, instead it rated an amused and knowing eyebrow raise.

    Although a lot of the movie concerns the workplace, the disconnect between the interests of corporates and the interests of society (a link that was present historically in America, but which has been irrevocably decoupled), and how to work in that environment, the interest for me was more to do with relationships. From my male perspective there are some fairly poisonous insights into the female mind (though it may be unfair to generalise), the young Cornell grad Natalie Keener (played by Anna Kendrick) talks about her preconceptions of the man she will meet, the kind of name he will have, apparently the only thing he will love more than her is their "golden lab". The slightly older perspective from Alex Goran (played by Vera Farmiga) is that the man should be taller, should earn more, and come from a good family. To go with the aeronautical theme of the movie, the theatre should have provided some sick bags.

    The main theme is, for me, pure Frank Borzage, it's about earning the right to love and be loved. In common with 80 years ago when those movies were being made, it's an onus that only weighs upon the male of the species, which makes the film a little hackneyed.

    My favourite ambiguity of the film would have to be the backpack lectures that Bingham (Clooney) gives. He has a whole metaphor about everything in your life, the people, the trinkets, all the stuff you can collect, being in a backpack and weighing you down. He says that people aren't swans, they're not meant to be together forever, that they're actually sharks, who have to keep swimming continually, weighed down by nothing. I think there's an element of truth to both poles, I can see both arguments. I just love going to a Hollywood movie and not having an opinion shoved down my throat.

    I had a slight problem regarding the level of realism in the film, I felt that the air-commuter lifestyle that was being shown was over-slicked, like I was watching something of a feather with The Consequences Of Love (or Giulia Doesn't Sleep At Night, two of the great modern hyper-stylised films from Italy). Nothing wrong with stylisation, except that I think Jason was trying to go for a film that had a lot of resonance with Recession America. I felt it was awkward to introduce real-life folks at the end, and also realistic looking termination assessments (or whatever they're called when you can someone), when the actors such as Clooney and Vera Farmiga were just so damned suave, as if from a different universe.

    And this is to Claire.
    helpful•54
    40
    • oOgiandujaOo_and_Eddy_Merckx
    • Jan 29, 2010

    FAQ7

    • What is the song that plays at the end of the movie? And where are the credits for this song in the credits list?
    • What is 'Up in the Air' about?
    • Is "Up in the Air" based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 23, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bay Lên Trời Cao
    • Filming locations
      • Cheshire Inn, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Cold Spring Pictures
      • DreamWorks
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $83,823,381
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,181,450
      • Dec 6, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $166,842,739
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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