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Up in the Air

I’ve already mentioned my affinity for high school debate. Well Anna Kendrick, the female lead (though she was billed as supporting) in Reitman’s third film had a breakout role – and it wasn’t that of George Clooney’s headstrong foil. Rather, Anna starred in a little seen and super quirky indie (seeing a pattern here?) called Rocket Science. In this movie she played a…wait for it…high school debater from New Jersey! How.Could.I.Not.Love? I’ve also had the good fortune to meet Anna once and profess my love for that film, her character, and I may or may not have confessed my love for her as well.

Obviously, expectations were high for Reitman’s third feature. He had shown a propensity for blending smart comedy with dramatic substance in his first two features, and for his third film he was tackling the timely subject matter of economic recession. He also assembled another strong cast that included Clooney, Kendrick, and the always strong but oft underused Vera Farmiga.
In terms of critical reception, Up in the Air was nothing short of the standards Reitman had set for himself with his previous outings. It was certainly his most mature film to date and he managed to take this dour subject matter and engage viewers to the tune of $75 million domestically and Oscar nominations for best picture, lead actor, supporting actress (twice!), and adapted screenplay.

For me, my love for Anna may have caused my expectations to grow too fiercely. I walked in expecting greatness and came out having experienced only goodness. Up in the Air is at times very real and very sad. It shows parents who can’t support their families. It shows a woman in Farmiga’s character who chooses not to be with hers. It shows a man in Clooney who is determined now to be weighed down by family at all. And it shows Anna, who has these two adults as role models as she faces questions about what it means to be a working adult for the first time. I fondly and clearly can remember my first “real” job as a college graduate. I remember it vividly and I can still feel the reverberations of confusing emotions that come with learning what life is like without the structure of youth, education, and family. (Full disclosure: I graduated in May 2010). Up in the Air asks a lot of its viewers and maybe I wasn’t totally up for it. Either way, it still marks another solid effort for Reitman, who amazingly, doesn’t seem like he’s hit his ceiling yet – which is a good thing for us.

Young Adult

Though the title might mislead you, this reteaming of Reitman and Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody is not a sequel/spin-off of their teen pregnancy flick. Rather, Young Adult will follow Charlize Theron as a young adult fiction writer who returns to her childhood town to chase down an old beau. Unfortunately, said ex is married and has a newborn child, which apparently isn’t enough to deter Theron’s interest.

Maybe the largest criticism lobbed at Reitman is his affinity for fast-jiving protagonists that can be overbearing at times. Nick in Thank You For Smoking, Juno in Juno, and all three central characters in Up In The Air talk a little too fast and are a tad too quick witted to feel natural. Yet every piece delivered by Reitman so far has such heart that it’s hard to dislike, even if certain aspects of them are too scripted for their own good. His characters feel human and his settings are always integral to the story – none more so than in Up In The Air. Likewise, Young Adult will also be set in mid-America (small town Minnesota), something that may mean little for many films, but don’t be surprised to see the setting playing a primary role in the tone of Young Adult.

Few modern directors have launched themselves so suddenly into movie-going relevance – especially ones who only make “indie” films. Consider that of his first three feature films, all three were nominated for Best Picture – comedy or musical – at the Golden Globes, and his last two were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Reitman might be the son of a well known auteur, but he’s made a name all his own. Even if his style isn’t your particular brand – and goodness knows there has been some Juno backlash, there is usually at least some level of admiration for what he’s accomplished in such a short period.

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