Up in the Air (2009) | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

90% Tomatometer 288 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings

An idea from a young, new co-worker (Anna Kendrick) would put an end to the constant travel of corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), so he takes her on a tour to demonstrate the importance of face-to-face meetings with those they must fire. While mentoring his colleague, he arranges hookups with another frequent-flier (Vera Farmiga), and his developing feelings for the woman prompt him to see others in a new light. Read More Read Less

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Up in the Air

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Up in the Air

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Critics Consensus

Led by charismatic performances by its three leads, director Jason Reitman delivers a smart blend of humor and emotion with just enough edge for mainstream audiences.

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Critics Reviews

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Up in the Air (2009) | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Deborah Ross The Spectator We always know just where this film is going... . But as co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, the plot's twists are so delicious and the dialogue so inventively perfect it doesn't matter a jot. Aug 30, 2018 Full Review Up in the Air (2009) | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Ed Koch The Atlantic A slick, cute, diverting, superbly-acted film but also an empty one due to the picture's raison d'être: a one-trick pony concerned solely with lack of commitment. Jan 16, 2018 Full Review Up in the Air (2009) | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Matt Singer The Rumpus Up in the Air is sentimental, but that doesn't mean it's simplistic. In fact, the movie plays at some interesting contradictions. It is a genuinely funny movie about genuinely depressing times. Sep 18, 2017 Full Review Up in the Air (2009) | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Where 'Up in the Air' soars is in the way it captures Ryan's rhythm, the elegant precision of his comforting ritual, the smooth familiarity of his life-in-transition existence. Oct 6, 2023 Full Review Up in the Air (2009) | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review A painful, intelligent, and darkly comic drama that will affect you regardless of how you choose to interpret it. Rated: 3.5/4 Aug 28, 2023 Full Review Up in the Air (2009) | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Dan DiNicola The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY) Clooney's portrayal if this terminal man is exemplary on every count. He is a man of and for our times. So too is this year's finest movie. Mar 22, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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alan g Not very good. Predictable sex comedy. George Clloney finally acts and shows some emotion. Waste of Anna Kendrick. Rated 1.5/5 Stars • Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 05/17/24 Full Review Cem Y Sincere and different. One of the fine examples of the genre. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/19/24 Full Review Alec C Sometimes in order to do business, you've got to be up close and personal! A corporate down-sizer takes a naive new coworker on a trip to show her the importance of being in-person, while beginning to question his own philosophy as he begins a relationship with a fellow traveler. Smart and witty, this business flick manages to find its way into our hearts with its relatable characters and unique perspective! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/03/24 Full Review Chickaboom Anna Kendrick is superb in this movie. Great actress. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/18/24 Full Review Joshua C This was more than I thought it would be. Propelled by some great lead performances, Jason Reitman's Up in the Air manages to blend just enough humour and heart to make for an enjoyable film about the value of human relationships and how they are essential for leading a purposeful life. Really well-done. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/17/24 Full Review Sam C A really enjoyable watch, with an emotional core that'll stick with you long after it's finished. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/07/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Up in the Air

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Cast & Crew

Jason Reitman Director George Clooney Ryan Bingham Vera Farmiga Alex Goran Anna Kendrick Natalie Keener Jason Bateman Craig Gregory Danny McBride Jim Miller
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Up in the Air

Up in the Air: Official Clip - You Are a Parenthesis Up in the Air: Official Clip - You Are a Parenthesis 1:45 Up in the Air: Official Clip - A Cocoon of Self-Banishment Up in the Air: Official Clip - A Cocoon of Self-Banishment 1:53 Up in the Air: Official Clip - Video Chat Firing Up in the Air: Official Clip - Video Chat Firing 2:14 Up in the Air: Official Clip - What Is the Point? Up in the Air: Official Clip - What Is the Point? 2:13 Up in the Air: Official Clip - How Much Did They Pay You to Give Up on Your Dreams? Up in the Air: Official Clip - How Much Did They Pay You to Give Up on Your Dreams? 2:13 Up in the Air: Official Clip - Sell Me Marriage Up in the Air: Official Clip - Sell Me Marriage 2:02 Up in the Air: Official Clip - Cheap Is Our Starting Point Up in the Air: Official Clip - Cheap Is Our Starting Point 2:13 Up in the Air: Official Clip - The Miles Are the Goal Up in the Air: Official Clip - The Miles Are the Goal 2:04 Up in the Air: Official Clip - People Do Crazy Sh** When They Get Fired Up in the Air: Official Clip - People Do Crazy Sh** When They Get Fired 2:11 View more videos

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Up in the Air

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Synopsis An idea from a young, new co-worker (Anna Kendrick) would put an end to the constant travel of corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), so he takes her on a tour to demonstrate the importance of face-to-face meetings with those they must fire. While mentoring his colleague, he arranges hookups with another frequent-flier (Vera Farmiga), and his developing feelings for the woman prompt him to see others in a new light.

Director
Jason Reitman

Producer
Daniel Dubiecki, Jeffrey Clifford, Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman

Screenwriter
Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Distributor
Paramount Pictures

Production Co
Montecito Picture Company

Rating
R (Some Sexual Content|Language)

Genre
Comedy, Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 23, 2009, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 20, 2012

Box Office (Gross USA)
$83.8M

Runtime
1h 49m
Most Popular at Home Now
Up in the Air (2009) | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

What movie has 100% Rotten Tomatoes? ›

100 Movies lists, but there are many others and several entries with dozens of positive reviews, which are considered surprising to some experts. To date, Leave No Trace holds the site's record, with a rating of 100% and 252 positive reviews.

What's the point of the movie Up in the Air? ›

In one sense, it's a movie about a man who fires people for a living. In another sense, it's a movie about a man who collects air miles excessively. In another sense, it's about a man who meets a woman who's so similar to him that even though they both believe in the idea of living solo, they begin to fall in love.

What does the Rotten Tomatoes score mean? ›

The website keeps track of all the reviews counted for each film and calculates the percentage of positive reviews. If the positive reviews make up 60% or more, the film is considered "fresh". If the positive reviews are less than 60%, the film is considered "rotten".

Why is Up in the Air so good? ›

The plot focuses on character development and emotional changes of the characters. It is not easy to make characters interesting and memorable, but "Up in the Air" does just that.

What is the #1 movie of all time? ›

Six films in total have grossed in excess of $2 billion worldwide, with Avatar ranked in the top position.

What is the longest film of all time? ›

The longest film ever made, according to Guinness World Records, is "The Cure for Insomnia" (1987), directed by John Henry Timmis IV.

How old is George Clooney's character in Up in the Air? ›

The movie centers around 45-year-old Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a "career transition counselor" whose job it is to travel around the country firing people from their jobs.

What is the message in Up in the Air? ›

Based on Walter Kirk's 2001 novel, Up in the Air explores the price of relationships—and the cost of a life without them.

What is George Clooney's job in Up in the Air? ›

For those of you unfamiliar with the movie, the plot was that the character played by George Clooney would travel around to various companies and tell certain employees that they were being laid off.

What does popcorn mean on Rotten Tomatoes? ›

The Audience Score, denoted by a popcorn bucket, represents the percentage of users who have rated a movie or TV show positively.

Is 0% Rotten Tomatoes good or bad? ›

On the film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, films that every surveyed critic considered bad have a 0% rating.

Is 99% Rotten Tomatoes good or bad? ›

The 99% Club: An Ode to the Almost-Perfect Movie

The 99% Club: You'll find it, way past 98% on the Tomatometer, but just before 100%. Inside, a coterie of cinema's practically-finest, movies promising an experience beyond most others – movies that are almost perfect.

What is the lesson of Up in the Air? ›

The business lesson to take from here is to understand that technology cannot fully replace human connections. It can elevate the business experience to another level, but can equally be the culprit behind a company's doom.

What is the moral of the story Up in the Air? ›

But “Up in the Air” is also to a certain extent a morality play, and its judgment on frequent travelers is quite severe. The message is: if you choose a life of travel, you are choosing a life of irresponsible, irredeemable disconnection.

What is the plot of Up in the Air explained? ›

Ryan Bingham is a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles, and just after he's met the frequent-traveller woman of his dreams.

Does any show have 100 Rotten Tomatoes? ›

Other recent series with multiple seasons in the 100% club: The Good Place, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, One Day at a Time, Veep, Fleabag, Jane the Virgin, and Feel Good. Only Murders in the Building season 1 has the most reviews on its perfect 100% score.

What movie has 99 Rotten Tomatoes? ›

10 Nearly Perfect Movies With a 99% Score on Rotten Tomatoes
  1. 1 'Citizen Kane' (1941) Directed by Orson Welles.
  2. 2 'Casablanca' (1942) Directed by Michael Curtiz. ...
  3. 3 'Paddington 2' (2017) ...
  4. 4 'On the Waterfront' (1954) ...
  5. 5 'All About Eve' (1950) ...
  6. 6 'The Third Man' (1949) ...
  7. 7 'How to Train Your Dragon' (2010) ...
  8. 8 'Goldfinger' (1964) ...
May 13, 2024

What Netflix horror movie has 100 Rotten Tomatoes? ›

So enough delaying the inevitable: Here are the best Netflix horror movies to stream and scream right now!
  • #43. Velvet Buzzsaw (2019) 61% ...
  • #42. Jaws 2 (1978) 56% ...
  • #41. Unfriended (2014) 62% ...
  • #40. Bird Box (2018) 64% ...
  • #39. Before I Wake (2016) ...
  • #38. We Summon the Darkness (2019) ...
  • #37. The Perfection (2018) ...
  • #36. The Babysitter (2017)

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