Up In the Air

A group of us headed out Wednesday to see Avatar in Dolby 3D. For some of us, it was to be the second viewing; for others, the first. When I was four from the front of the ticket line, a sold-out announcement blasted over the loudspeakers.

Rather than turn around and go home, we chose the movie that was both interesting to us and at about the same showtime: Up In the Air. I'd wanted to see it, but for no particular reason I still entered it with relatively low expectations.

I left having liked it very much indeed. I found myself identifying far too much with some of Clooney's travel patterns, something I suspect most frequent fliers will do. Though he occasionally smirked when he should not have done so, overall his performance was wonderful and moving.

Vera Farmiga, as Alex, a woman for whom Clooney falls, was a revelation to me: sexy and hot and intelligent and incredibly attractive in a wonderful performance worthy of all the possible supporting actress nominations. I wasn't familiar with her work before, but I will watch for her now.

The movie's biggest fault was its ending, which was not satisfying precisely because it could not be given the characters involved. I've talked with friends who said they felt Clooney's character did not learn anything, but after much thought I've decided that I disagree with them. He did learn, and he was a different man, at least inside, at the end--or so, perhaps, I choose to believe.

I definitely recommend this one, and I'll be surprised if Clooney and Farmiga don't earn Oscar nominations (they're already up for the Golden Globes).