"Up in the Air" is well worth the trip

I'm fairly certain that I've never met anyone who doesn't like George Clooney. Obviously, I don't know him but he seems to be the guy who every guy wants to be friends with and who all women want to date.

At 48, Clooney has matured into not only a fine actor but, like many actors (for better or for worse) an advocate for political and social causes. I like Clooney and most of his films so I was exited to see him in "Up in the Air."

I'd heard little to nothing about the movie before I saw it, but I must say that I enjoyed it immensely. It's not a big budget, mainstream movie but it's not a niche, indie either. It is creative, funny and edgy without being dumbed way down.

At its core, it's a film about decisions, life and career. Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a businessman on the verge of reaching 10 million frequent flyer miles, who basically fires people for a living.

Charming, touching and oddly upbeat given its topic, "Up in the Air" succeeds through its dialogue, amazing visuals and strong characters. If you're 23 or 63, you'll relate to something in this film.

Clooney's front and center in the great dialogue department but his co-stars Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman and Melanie Lynskey provide the verbal bounce needed to make the movie sing.

In the visual department, it's a movie that revolves around flying, so many of the destinations (including Milwaukee and Northern Wisconsin) are given great treatment with fly over shots and beautiful imagery.

And, finally, the characters deliver in "Up in the Air." From the gripping, un-named people who have just lost jobs to the driven Alex (played by Farmiga), the brutally honest Craig (Bateman) and the delightful Natalie (Kendrick), the film moves with a solid story, life-altering events, twists and family tension that most can related to.

The movie ends simply, and I can write about it without giving much away. As the credits roll over a view of blue early evening clouds as seen from a plane, we hear Clooney's character say: "Tonight, most people will be welcomed home by jumping dogs and squealing kids. Their spouses will ask about their day, and tonight they'll sleep. The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places and one of those lights, slightly brighter than rest, will be my wingtip passing over."

It made me smile, laugh and at the end, it also made me think. If a movie can do all that, I say it's worth seeing.