Up In the Air: Down to Earth

The latest Clooney vehicle is fully equipped with 100s of seats for the in-flight movie goers to bounce from destination to destination during the economic recession of a lifetime.

Ryan Bingham, a layoff termination specialist, flies into the depths of manufacturing/tech sector demise and downsizing from coast to coast to offer boilerplate advice and quick-witted empathy that departs vapidly with his next boarding call. He has absolutely mastered the art of winning no friends and influencing no company's direction while in hot pursuit of a rare aviation feat.

He finds oddly similar companionship on his frequent flyer quest. Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), a road warrioring, thirty something with a sly smile and devilish intentions, takes to meeting up with Bingham after a quick flirtation over travel perks and specialty cards jets off to bed with him. Alex is in an amoral search for more of an escape than a new destination which seemingly fits with Bingham's mantra on life and people.

Meanwhile, the home office saddles Bingham with a newbie, tech-driven young lass with all the answers and none of the questions. Natalie (Anna Kendrick, above) plays an overconfident, Ivy league-educated operations tech analyst to a convincing and Oscar-worthy end. Clooney now finds himself with two hard jobs: one, the lover-come-landing who learns too late the causality of his years of absence from any personal life; the other, as the mentor/father figure that a young woman with a drive, determination, and spirit might not learn from unless something overwhelms her to the point of delusion with that job.

Clooney's realness as a person shines through despite his character's task. And you like that just enough. The characters seem straight out of your local workforce. Indeed, they are in some parts of the movie; yet they are not prosaic, or banal. You understand them, especially if, you, the moviegoer, are unemployed. Small, but important roles, are played by Jason Bateman as the office manager, and Amy Morton as Bingham's sister. They move along the plot well - with good method.

This movie is really down to Earth while ending up in the air.

E.R.: How a show intertwines with a life

During the course of your life, if you watch TV regularly, you will find a rare show that mirrors or reflects the march of time.

I can remember the early episodes of ER (1994-2009) with Noah Wyle, George Clooney, Eriq LaSalle and many, many others. I watched the show not for the ER speak, or the never-ending, soapy, romantic hook-ups, or even the Chicago locale that is the backdrop. No, the characters were draw. Somehow, taking Michael Crichton’s brain and putting it with young, inspired actors led to a great and unforgettable TV series.

Though I watch religiously from 1995-2000, meaning, I would put off going to a watering hole just for ER, I also had my periods on sabbatical while going through the ‘ER of Life.’

I went through bankruptcy in 1997 – the 1st real sign my post-college life wouldn’t be quite as charmed as Dr. John Carter’s poor little rich boy early days. There is often a sense of privilege and pride in knowing you are not so screwed up as your fellow classmates. Not I. The finance doctor did teach me a lesson, but that was only one of many trips to the Emergency Room for me.

In 1999, I went to an actual emergency room for various reasons, none of which were really resolved that particular night. The days after my talks to concerned folks did not resolve much, except that I needed a new line of work. And I had to evolve in my thinking…still.

ER evolved too. As George Clooney took his big screen looks to La-La where the ocean laps cold invigorating water, a bunch of new med school grads and nurses came in to bask in the small screen light. Guys name Luka and girls name Sam would become the new hunks and heroines to see on Thursday night at 9PM. (Now George uses his fame to fight the problems in Darfur. Good Egg that Clooney...)

By early 2001, I was up and down, and soon, out on another prolonged ER visit. This time it was a disease of the mind and soul. This disease needs treatment the type of which most would rather swallow arsenic, or take the lash to their bare back, to avoid. Well, I took the treatment for 4 years. My ER visit this time introduced me to terminal folks – not dying, but dead in spirit – as 80% would never seek, or reach a cure on this particular interlude into the abyss.

2005, the episodes of my life seem to drag on…ER too reached a predictable level of success.

The times had changed. Technology had definitely changed. The world in just a matter of a decade had significantly switched from an America going places, to an America going nowhere fast, unless it was with an Ipod, Iphone, Blackberry, or some other digital doo-hickey that I no longer can afford, in hand. Avarice is not my primary vice – but I do love being near the cutting edge or beta testing something... (Like a revolving-MRI or CT scan or other advanced medical tools and devices.)

As 2008-09 has seen its final season of ER, I am praying my crisis of head will not lead my heart and soul somewhere astray. I wish my learning about life wouldn’t have been so episodic – or that I would have marathoned ER several times when the chips got me down during my personal ER trials and tribulations.

I bid ER farewell.

Dr. Carter, I bid farewell. You made the show…come full circle.

Dr. Michael Crichton passed away before the last curtain fell. But he gave us a worthy body of work – writing plenty of interesting thrillers to go along with a TV medical drama that normally goes astray. Yours didn’t in 15 seasons.

So my grow up life has seen it’s last ER…