Up in the Air - spoilers
 

What a depressing comedy, but glad I watched.

Anyone know how to get a hold of the shots in the opening credits? I can't believe all those are in the United States.

So the Clooney character gets a bleak ending. That's the realistic ending. I'm surprised a major Hollywood film allowed that. I can't remember too many big budget films without a happy ending - I wish they did that more often.

Whoops - wrong forum - sorry.

That's okay, I saw it this weekend, too. I thought it was going to be a typical "romp"....didn't realize it was somewhat serious, too. Not sure I'd call it depressing, although I personally wouldn't want his life or philosophy. I thought it was well done, with very good performances.

We saw it over the weekend as well - I really enjoyed it. Well acted, real, I read in the paper that they used real people who had been laid off for those parts of the film.

Most of it was filmed in Saint Louis. I have not seen it yet - but many friends did when it had a special showing here a month or so ago.

This is an entertaining movie, but untruthful.

She tells Clooney, ""Think of me as yourself, only with a vagina," leading him astray in this and many other ways because she wasn't like him in the one most important way.

The movie is fun to watch but it is dishonest at its core which is why, if you saw it, you may have wondered why it left you with a bad taste in your mouth.

HTTY

<< The movie is fun to watch but it is dishonest at its core which is why, if you saw it, you may have wondered why it left you with a bad taste in your mouth.>>

This is the most interesting comment I've read about a movie in a long time, HTTY. Care to expound upon it? I am planning to see the movie soon, and knowing what will happen would neither deter me from seeing it nor diminish my enjoyment of it in any measure.

No, trickie, don't search for clues or spoilers!

I saw it with my 19 yr old today. She said she hated it, but she was engrossed in much of it. It is too heavy for people under 25 probably....oh I don't know. The twenty three year old character is so real and she is so good in the role. George is excellent. maybe it works because it is George in many ways. I am REALLY glad i didn't read the spoilers cause the twists and turns shocked me. I thought the acting was good, the people were easy to relate to and the concept was irritating, disturbing, confusing and sometimes hilarious. A good adult movie. not a feel good movie at all. Don't see it with PMS, etc. I did like it for the writing, acting and thought. It's nice to know that they can still make movies which aren't dumbed down for the masses.

<< It's nice to know that they can still make movies which aren't dumbed down for the masses.>>

Thinking.

'One of the pleasures of “Up in the Air” is that its actresses — including Anna Kendrick, who plays Bingham’s colleague Natalie — share the frame with Mr. Clooney as equals, not props." NYT

Yes!

Check the IMBD website, it will give all the credits and locations

I wasnt going to see it, even tho it was filmed mostly here in St Louie, however you feedback has me intrigued.

We saw it last night. Don't know why you think the openning shots wouldn't have been filmed in the US.

We found it very interesting, too, and good at many levels. The characters were very interesting.

I didn't think the end was completely bleak. In many ways, it was about the complexity of life and to some extent, it was about the importance of having emotional relationships, even if they get complicated, and the bleakness of loneliness.

I think it left you with hope. I think Clooney's character was in the same position emotionally as those he fired - feeling cut loose but with a faint glimmer of hope - looking at the big board, trying to decide which way to go. It was an ambiguous ending, I think.

I didn't find the movie dishonest, happytrails, and do wonder why you felt this way, as well. That said, it is fictional, wiht a fictional premise, of course.

I've never heard of a company that hires others to terminate employees. Has anyone heard ot his? In every situation I've heard of, companies do the layoffs/firings, themselves.

"I've never heard of a company that hires others to terminate employees. Has anyone heard ot his? In every situation I've heard of, companies do the layoffs/firings, themselves."

Me either. However, my former neighbor worked for a large international company that makes car/truck/military equipment parts for at least 15 years as an "ax man." He moved from plant to plant, changing policies and reducing the work force to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Last I heard he got axed.

Seeing it tomorrow.
Friend saw and didn't like... depressing;but her hubby did... real life.

Dishonest at its core - at the end of the movie, the recently fired talk up the positives of being fired. No, no positives, not in this economy. Here's a movie about devastating peoples lives and there's a positive aspect?

Same with the scene where Clooney connects a laid off worker to his past history as an aspiring chef.

I just find trying to do comedy on such a you really shouldn't be trying to get a laugh out of this subject, especially at this time, a little dishonest. The movie does kind of get away with it because the writing and acting are very good. The Clooney scene in the airport showing the ropes, "I type with purpose", "I hope I'm as pretty as you in 15 years",
etc...

I don't know of any companies that fire people for others, but many CEOs were/are hired for a reorg to do mass firings. A one person wrecking crew. Think HP, and she wants to run for senator.

I actually want to see the movie again because I have these questions about the characters and philosophies they present. I think that Clooney talks about the falseness of the positive aspect when he describes his job - he talks about giving a slight ray of hope before cutting people adrift. I think he hopes he is making a difference, but realizes he often cannot.

I thought the scene where Clooney talks to the worker about his former dreams about being a chef wasn't so much about his connecting the worker to his past dreams, but about how the Clooney character relates to people - his giving a ray of hope is the only way that he actually connects positively to others. The fact that the ray of hope is often illusory is illustrated when the women jumps off the bridge.

I thought Clooney was the opposite of the young girl. She has great hopes and illusions about her personal life, while being a complete automaton at work (not understanding the depth of her work and its impact on others). Clooney was someone completely cynical about relationships in his personal life but who got that necessary human connection through his devastating job.

I thought the intergenerational scenes interesting, also. I'm now in the older camp and it does feel weird. It is hard to realize younger people see me as old, in a way. I liken it to this experience: When you are on a diving board looking down, it looks a long way, but when you are in the water looking up, the board doesn't look so far away. I think when you are older, looking at younger people, they don't seem that younger, but when you are younger, older people seem a lot older. Is that confusing? Ah well. Guess it's Christmas! Santa must be riding through the night now and I have to go to bed! G'night!

I liked it a lot and find all these comments interesting to read - the scenes where people are told they're out of job made me come out of it feeling quite down - I lost mine in April and it still stings.

trickiewoo, IMHO this better-than-average movie is diminished by withholding important information about the woman with whom Clooney becomes smitten. It is a story-telling device that doesn't appeal to me. HTTY

Orca, you should be a movie critic. Those were very trenchant comments.

I think Clooney with a V gave a little hint of her secret when she mentioned that her ideal man wanted kids.