Up in the Air (DVD)
Funny and enjoyable, Up in the Air takes you on a journey which most people will be keen to take twice.
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a corporate downsizer: his job is to travel around the country to fire people for spineless bosses.
He loves being on the road - or, rather, in the air - but then his ambitious colleague Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) suggests costs can be cut by firing people via webcam.
The smart, breezy and sophisticated role is perfect for Clooney.
Although the speech about backpacks he makes several times starts to wear thin, his performance and even the off-screen voice-overs are superb.
Later in the film, we see a different Clooney: a somewhat serious character. It shows his more emotional side, and his capacity to play all sorts of roles.
It's a light, witty film that will appeal to most people who enjoy a simple yet fresh story with sparkling dialogue and excellent acting.
Director Jason Reitman, who made Thank You for Smoking and Juno, proves he doesn't need exciting visuals to help tell his story.
He's a skilled storyteller with a gift for entertaining.
He joined forces with Sheldon Turner to write the script and won the Bafta for best adapted screenplay.
