While it’s supposed to be a balmy 11 degrees, it feels like it’s about 8. I think I’m just going to spend my afternoon watching a movie. But which movie? I hear you ask…
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.
Up In the Air (2009) IMDB
Yes, OK – I may have chosen a George Clooney movie for the… the salt and peppers… but it was genuinely a good movie. I really enjoyed it! Really…
As mentioned before, the film follows Ryan Bingham, played by George Clooney, as he navigates – essentially – losing his job. He is joined by a potential love interest, another travelling professional, and a driven younger professional who wants to change the business model of the company.
The cast is actually pretty amazing. Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jason Bateman, Melanie Lynskey, Sam Elliott – even Zach Galifianakis… if that’s your thing…
I found out that a lot of the people fired in the film aren’t actually actors… they were people who were recently laid off or fired. I think that it adds extra meaning to the whole film. These lines weren’t scripted. These were people who were experiencing a similar situation to the film – although they didn’t know this at the time… – and they were told to treat the camera like the person who fired them. To show others what they experienced and said. Or let out all the things they wish they said…
When I came across this one, I was surprised to see it came out in 2009. That was… quite the year. You can find adequate subtitles for this one, so yay!
The world was coming out of the global financial crisis. People had experienced being fired like this. Coming into work only to find out that they no longer have a job and that it’s likely going to be many months before they are employed again. It was a stressful time for a lot of people.
I enjoyed spending my afternoon in the quiet, with a blanket and the heater… and tea… I am finding more and more of my weekends are spent doing exactly this. I know I shouldn’t – but it’s winter and it’s cold. Isn’t there meant to be a whole – the season of rest – thing?
Till next time.