Movie Information

Up in the Air

Up in the Air

Released: December 4, 2009

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Soundrack Albums

Song Credits

  • "THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND"
    Written by Woody Guthrie
    Performed by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
    Courtesy of Daptone Records
  • "MOOD INDIGO"
    Written by Barney Bigard, Edward Ellginton & Irving Mills
    Performed by Thelonious Monk
    Courtesy of Concord Music Music Group
  • "LONELY IN LOVE"
    Written by Mateo Messina
    Performed by Jeff Babko
    Courtesy of Kind Music, Inc.
  • "GOIN' HOME"
    Written & performed by Dan Auerbach
    Courtesy of Nonesuch Records
    By arrangement with Warner Music Film & TV Licensing
  • "O.P.P."
    Written by Vincent Brown, Anthony Crisis, Kier Gist, Berry Gordy, Jr., Alphonso Mizell, Frederick Perren & Deke Richards
    Performed by Naughty By Nature
    Courtesy of Tommy Boy Records
    By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing
    Contains a sample of "ABC"
    Written by Berry Gordy, Jr., Alphonso Mizell,
    Frederick Perren & Deke Richards
    Performed by Jackson 5
    Courtesy of Motown Reocrds
    Under License from Universal Music Enterprises
  • "GOOD TIMES"
    Written by Bernanrd Edwards & Nile Rodgers
    Performed by Chic
    Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
    By arrangement with Warner Music Film & TV Licensing
  • "BUST A MOVE"
    Written by Matt Dike, Luther Rabb, Marvin Young & Jim Walters
    Performed by Young MC
    Courtesy of Delicious Vinyl
  • "SIGN YOUR NAME"
    Written & performed y Sananda Maitreya
    Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd., The Columbia/Epic Label Group,
    a unite of Sony Music Entertainment
    By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
  • "TIME AFTER TIME"
    Written by Rob Hyman & Cyndi Lauper
    Performed by Anna Kendrick
    Courtesy of Pocket Songs
  • "GENOVA"
    Written by Charles Wyatt & Matt Greenberg
    Performed by Charles Atlas
    Courtesy of Charles Atlas
  • "BY YOUR SIDE"
    Written by Cary Hudson
    Performed by Blue Mountain
    Courtesy of Broadmoor Records
  • "HURTIN' YOU"
    Written & performed by Ben Kweller
    Courtesy of ATO Records
  • "ANGEL IN THE SNOW"
    Written & performed by Elliot Smith
    Courtesy of Kill Rock Stars
  • "HELP YOURSELF"
    Written by Bradley Grant Smith
    Performed by Sad Brad Smith
  • "TAKEN AT ALL"
    Written by David Crosby & Graham Nash
    Performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
    Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
    By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing
  • "THANK YOU LORD"
    Written & performed by Roy Buchanan
    Courtesy of Universal Records
    Under license from Universal Music Enterprises
  • "THE SNOW BEFORE US"
    Written by Charles Wyatt & Matt Greenberg
    Performed by Charles Atlas
    Courtesy of Audraglint Recordings
  • "TICKETS TO LIFE THEME"
    Written by David Winer
    Courtesy of American Airlines, Inc.
  • "BE YOURSELF"
    Written by Graham Nash & Terence Reird
    Performed by Graham Nash
    Courtesy of Graham Nash
    By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing
  • "UP IN THE AIR"
    Written & performed by Kevin Renick
    Courtesy of Kevin Renick

Review: Up in the Air

by Dan Goldwasser December 20, 2009
4 / 5 Stars

Based on the 2001 novel of the same name, Up in the Air is a dour dramatic comedy about Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), who spends his time travelling around the country as a corporate downsizer, laying people off when their bosses are too cowardly to do it themselves.  When the company office in Omaha, Nebraska decides to entertain a new plan by young co-worker Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), to cut costs by doing the layoffs over the internet,  Bingham realizes that his own job might be in jeopardy.  In an attempt to show how dehumanizing the job is, and how important it is to give the 'personal touch', Ryan has Natalie tag along with him on a few jobs.    As they travel around the country, Ryan's philosophy - as well as his rather isolated life and inability to make any meaningful relationships - start to bubble to the surface, especially in his attempt at a casual romance with fellow business traveler Alex (Vera Farmiga).  Soon Natalie is experiencing the best and worst of the job, and Ryan is trying to make some meaning out of his life as he strives to achieve the coveted 10,000,000 frequent flier miles mark.

Up in the Air is a bit of a downer of a film, coming at the height of an economic downturn where layoffs are, sadly, all too common. In fact, many of the people shown being interviewed on the camera about their layoffs are real people, not actors, who were recently let go.  George Clooney does a great job in the role, and one of the best sequences involve his description of method of efficiently getting through security at the airport.  As this is a predominantly character-based film, the screenplay is vitally important, and director Jason Reitman (along with co-writer Sheldon Turner) turned in a very solid script.  Clooney - as well as Farmiga and Kendrick - do it justice, and overall it's one of those movies that flows exceptionally well.

It's not all depressing stuff, though.  There is quite a bit of humor to be found in the film, even though it's not laugh-out-loud material.  At times we can relate to the awkward situations that Ryan finds himself in, and the comedy comes from that.  Helping push the humor and emotion along is the effective and subtle musical score by Rolfe Kent, with its predominant usage of pizzicato strings and whimsical woodwinds. Even though it's a bit of a bittersweet film, with a somewhat bleak philosophy, Up in the Air is a well crafted, excellently written and superbly acted film that is absolutely worth seeing. I just don't know if it's the type of film I'll see more than once.

more reviews by Dan Goldwasser

Trailer Music Used From

  •  Theatrical Trailer
  • "Genova" Static Caravan - Charles Atlas featuring Textile Ranch
Click for more trailer music
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