Loved the movie, especially Tom Cruise. Oh wait... that wasn't him with the pony tail? I could have sworn.... I think the script is written very economically - lots of white on the page and you're reading essentially what you see on the screen - not some flowery prose begging for your attention or filled with exposition. The story itself is rich in metaphors and contrasts which is a great way of defining characters: "Up in the air" is how the employees being fired suddenly find their lives to be. When somebody spends so much time "Up in the Air", like Ryan, they're incapable of being grounded... setting roots somewhere and building foundations. The whole relationship between Natalie and Ryan is wonderfully written with contrasts. Natalie is female, younger, inexperienced. Ryan is male, older, and a seasoned veteran. Natalie's "solution" is a direct threat to Ryan's happiness, but it's also the least personal in terms of firing someone. Yet... she's the one sowing her roots with a relationship and is the more emotional one under pressure. No wonder she wants to fire people over the net. Ryan is the exact opposite. Despite his "cocoon of self-banishment" and inability to sustain a meaningful relationship, his direct face-to-face old school approach has much more humanity. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Like I said, I loved the movie. It's almost a quasi-tragedy, but in the end, the final scene, you can see Natalie's impact on Ryan for the better. My only real gripe is we never truly see/learn why Ryan became the person he was at the beginning of the film. He shares some of the same traits as Will Hunting in Good Will Hunting, notably being a self-banisher who keeps meaningful relationships at arm's length, but whereas Will gives us a backstory to resonate with, we're left wondering why Ryan chose to live the life he was. For a man who makes it a point to carry as little baggage as possible, he seems like he would have a lot more than just a carry on's worth full of first hand experience we could further relate to. Also, when watching the movie the first time I felt Alex was cold-hearted. That was a shock of cold water to the system when she opened the door. Having watched it a second time and read the script, I can clearly see where, especially in her dialogue, there was a lot of subtext going on.

I've spent the past couple months researching and outlining my new screenplay project that is similar to Up in the Air in terms of tone/mood. Most of that time has been dedicated to structure. After recently reading "Save the Cat' and looking at Scott's post on Dan Harmon/Hero's Journey... I'm just amazed at how well this script hits its marks. The humor fantastic and subtle at times. The relationship between Natalie and Ryan. Both exchange time as mentor and student. At times they exchange barbs, other times there is genuine empathy. Well paced. Bark Bites Back: I find your desire to know the why of Ryan's lifestyle interesting. While reading and watching UITA the thought never struck me. I don't think it was really important to the story. Reitman sold me on accepting Ryan as a character and I didn't need anything more than what he chose to tell me. I haven't seen Good Will in a very long time... Gotta watch it again. I have so much praise for this script... If I can formulate something more coherent I'll post it. -ah!

I thought that the resolution of Natalie's story was far stronger in the film. In the film, instead of returning home to live with her parents (which could be viewed as a "failing" to some viewers), we see her interviewing for a competitive position in San Francisco--where she had intended to move after college. It's obvious in this scene that she's grown and changed positively from her journey with Ryan, where as in the screenplay, what she takes away from him feels more negative. I also agree that it was easier to read the subtext in Alex's dialogue in the screenplay, although that could have been merely a result of already knowing what transpires between her and Ryan in the movie. Like Ryan, as a viewer, I wanted to believe she was as "available" as she feigns to be.

I wanted to share my gut reaction to the film/script before reading other reactions. I saw the film a while ago. I liked it. It was funny and I thought GC did a great job. I wasn't that thrilled by the ending, but okay, I'd recommend it to my friends. It had something to do with the current state of the world and emptiness, which I liked, though I'm not sure what. I read the script last week. I thought it was incredibly well written. I liked the way the dialogue sizzled and how the sexuality of the actions mirrored the dialogue. My attention wandered towards the end. I'm not completely sure if it was because I was remembering the movie or whether it was a script issue. When done, I'm thinking great script, great writing. Last night I was thinking about what I wanted to say on this first day. And though I liked both the film and the script immediately afterward, with time they both became hazy. Almost as if they were insubstantial. Airy even. Ultimately empty. Some of the things I will be thinking about this week is whether this script/film about an essentially unanchored protagonist has a heart or substance that lingers on in my imagination? Is the effect intentional? And how is it achieved? I'm looking forward to seeing the movie again in light of our discussion.

Oh another thing. I think it was a wise decision to start the film by introducing Ryan through the firing process (which was fun exposition). This opening made me dislike him. This was followed up with his ritualistic travel process. Book ended by his motivational speaker gig... Which made me start to like him. Also liked Alex's introduction earlier in the film after they cut the bit with the business man (pgs 11-12) and reshuffled his initial conversation with Kara.

Had the same reaction to the script as the film - I'm massively envious of Ryan's lifestyle. Which clearly says something disturbing about me... But also colours how I interpret his personal growth through the story. More on that when we reach character, I guess. This is a wonderfully written script: the descriptive writing is sparse and witty, the characters are sympathetic and interesting, and there are some good reversals in the story. Good to see the writers steered away from the obvious route of having Ryan and Natalie get together, too...

Technically it has no bearing on the story as the story itself is just a specific slice of time out of Ryan's life, but the backstory does have bearing on his character, if that makes sense. I can't help but to wonder if the scene with Alex's revelation would have been more powerful had Ryan let his guard down earlier with her and shared some bit of insight into his past with her... even it it were just something in passing. I tend to find people gravitating toward that "cocoon of self banishment" when they've been hurt in the past... not "just because". Either way, you're right, it's not something that's overly important to this story, but it is typically addressed in other stories (like the aforementioned Good Will Hunting or Harold and Maude, where Harold confides his backstory which provides the rationale for his behavior: the only time he saw his mother show any ounce of compassion or feeling toward him is when he was feared dead from the laboratory explosion. It's those little things that make characters all the more relatable because through most of the story, we see the dramatization of the symptoms of their main problem before they realize what it is themselves. In Ryan's case, I never felt like I had a true grasp on what the root of his problem was - or perhaps it was his job itself, the notion that the world comes crashing down upon all of us in different ways; whether it be relationships or jobs, don't get too attached.

I don't think Ryan's character grows at all, unless one considers a failed affair whose fallout reinforces his original world view as growth. If anything, the final shot of him at the airport leaves him abandoning *all* his luggage, both literally and metaphorically. At that point he has no ties, whatsoever, and is free to choose whatever destination he desires.

I think he comes to a realization there's more out there, he's just not sure what it is he wants but knows he has the freedom to make that decision. Prior to this, I think perhaps he used his profession as a means to shield himself. It became his justification why he couldn't be in a relationship, much like in Good Will Hunting where Will justifies having a job as being the rational for not pursuing Skylar. In both cases, they're just reinforcing their "cocoon of self-banishment" because they're afraid of emotionally connecting to someone. It's also interesting that both movies use songs by Elliot Smith that sound pretty similar (unless all his songs sound similar?): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH8-lQ9CeyI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tOaQgodv2w

I read the ending as Ryan embracing a life that, while others consider it empty and meaningless, is fulfilling and perfect for him. His one attempt to build a 'normal' emotional life results in betrayal and pain. But when his rootless life is returned to him by the failure of the long-distance technology, he learns to live the way he wants and yet to care for others (gifting some of his air miles). He's a better person, a more generous and understanding person, at least in a small way, yet still himself. I suspect that's *not* the lesson the writers and director wanted me to take away from it, but hey...

I think the ending harkens back to the dialogue on page 47 and solidifies Ryan changing to adopt Natalie's POV. There, she refers to his collecting miles as a hobby, going on to explain guys don't grow up - they just pee on everything. When asked why this is, Natalie says "fear of mortality", then goes on to say: "If I had that many miles, I'd just show up at an airport, look up at one of those big boards of destinations, pick a place and go". On page 121, this is referred to in the descriptive passage as "a menu of new lives departing every five minutes". This is when Ryan's made his decision to change as he picks some unknown city and leaves his baggage behind. We could assume he's already made the decision to change when he pursues Alex, but that's not what this story is really about. In a way, it's about Ryan heeding his own advice he's been doling out the entire movie to dozens of fired employees: From page 5, he tells Steve: "No one's taking anything, Steve. There's nobody to blame. The position has just gone away. It is in the past. However, more importantly, you are still here. You are the future. And that is what you must begin to focus on, because if you cannot find fulfillment from within, there is no future." Substitute job for relationship, something Natalie makes reference to earlier (being married to her job), and I think we have theme resonating on different levels. :)

You raise a really interesting point: What about Ryan's backstory? And your comparison with GWH may offer some insight. Will Hunting was plagued by a specific dark shadow, the infantile guilt he felt that maybe he had done or been something wrong to justify his foster father's physical abuse. Illogical, yes. But to a child, which is a safer thought: That you did something to provoke a beating or this adult figure is just a cruel son of a bitch? With the former, at least you have some measure of control -- it's your fault. With the latter, the randomness of it all is just too frightening for a child to comprehend. We see this same dynamic with Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs and Conrad Jarrett in Ordinary People. With Ryan, I doubt very seriously there was anything that horrific in his past, nor something that specific. Rather I felt like here is a guy who has slowly lost his soul, a product of modern culture's way of creating this buffer of activity between us and reality. One of the things that makes Ryan so interesting is that unlike a character like Carolyn Burnham in American Beauty whose buffer is comprised of material goods and upper middle class status, Ryan lives like a freaking monk. His apartment? It's like no one lives there. Indeed his whole point about emptying your backpack underscores this theme. And yet... as in control as he thinks he is, he is in a fundamental state of Disunity at the beginning. UITA is a classic example of a story where we can ask that question I like to pose: Why does this story have to happen to this character at this time? Why does he meet Natalie? Why does he meet Alex? Why is there this sudden change in how the company deals with downsizing? Jung says we are tasked with getting in touch with all aspects of our psyche, and if we don't, the universe creates circumstances which force us to. That's what happens to Ryan: The universe forces him to deal with his shit... when he starts out thinking he doesn't have any shit to deal with. Sorry for veering off there, but I think I can circle back to the original point: Deep down, Will Hunting knows he's a wounded person, and he fights like hell not to go there. I don't think Ryan feels that at all. If anything, my guess is there is a soft, dull ache, but he's so damn busy flying around -- as you note above it all -- it's easy to avoid those minimal feelings. I didn't need to know much about his background because I felt like I knew all too well what Ryan was about: Caught up in the busy-ness of life to avoid the reality of life. Don't we all swim in those waters on a daily basis, more or less?

Excellent point re Natalie's resolution. And it's not only about her, it's also about Ryan writing the letter on her behalf which in the movie I experienced as bittersweet. As if Ryan could do for someone else what he couldn't do for himself: Allow himself to really live in the present. Be, not do. His letter on behalf of Natalie is like a benediction or blessing on her belief in the Way Things Are and Should Be. But at the end, here stands Ryan: He's undone, staring at a world full of destinations, but has no clue which way to go.

Okay, already some great stuff and we've only just scratched the surface. Let me add one more thing: As you may know, I'm a huge Billy Wilder fan, especially The Apartment which I think is as close to a perfect movie as there is. I think it's interesting that Jason Reitman loves Billy Wilder and The Apartment, too. In fact the second in his series of live script readings was that script. I've sort of drawn this lineage of writer-directors: Billy Wilder ----> James L. Brooks ----> Cameron Crowe ----> Jason Reitman I see UITA through the lens of Billy Wilder. I think it's a movie he would have loved as it's that perfect combination of humor and drama with some bite. Smart with great characters. And in the end, they may have learned some lessons, but they were hard-earned and leave the characters still flawed, still fumbling.

What I love about Up In The Air is that the story represents the journey the character's required to make. What's the worst thing that can happen to a guy who doesn't put down roots and empties his backpack? He gets grounded... both in the sense of being replaced by Natalie's new-fangled "video conference firing" and grounded by tying himself to Alex. And even, come to think of it, tied to his family who he's kept firmly at arm's length, when he's roped in to talk the groom out of his cold feet. All this is done with a wonderful subtlety. Little set ups pay off seamlessly. The upcoming wedding, the newlyweds who don't have enough to travel and need Ryan to take a picture of their cut-out, Natalie's new system and its eventual demise via the foreshadowed bridge-jumper... In a way, Alex feels like the least vital part of all this. I guess cause she's defined as the female version of Ryan. She's fun but ultimately kind of vacant as a character, which I suppose is the point. And I do think that Ryan changes, but not in that big traditional arc. He doesn't "learn the error of his ways and settle down", but he does do something generous for his sister...the miles that were just numbers racking up are transferred into a life experience for the new couple. And whereas the opening focused on the encumbrances of relationships and things, by the end Ryan's gently saluting them ("blessing them") even if he refuses to be a part of the life below.

I don't know about Ryan dealing with his shit.. seems to me that what he's doing in this movie is helping other people deal with their shit (Natalie, his sister, his boss, the groom...), and he's able to help precisely because he's detached from it all. In fact, his attempt to become attached is doomed to failure. And why? because he's a man obsessed by order, and for everything to flow without friction, from the packing of his suitcase, his rituals in the security line, his restaurant recommendations, and the fact that he detached himself from his family, presumably to avoid the chaos that brought to him earlier in his life. Fixing things (letter to Natalie's new boss, the groom, etc...) restores order to his life, and allows him to avoid the emotional baggage that would follow him if he hadn't acted.

By "dealing," I mean "confronting," not necessarily solving. When he can't finish his third backpack speech, he is confronting the fact - on one level - that the emptiness he once espoused as being a virtue is what it is: emptiness. And he can't finish the speech. That is an example of him confronting his shit. The backpack is an excellent touchstone to track a shift in his consciousness, the ability to see it for what it is.

I think he's obsessed with order as it pertains to efficiency of things and obtaining goals. Do the least amount to get the most. Even his relationships are casual, allowing him to get what he wants and then he's out the door. But I think there's a point where he sees beyond this bs, as Natalie would have it, and we sense he's no longer the same person when his boss tells him he's going to put him back on the road. Ryan's reaction here is less than enthralled - in fact, that's when he actually makes an attempt to ground himself with Alex. Even though the pain of her revelation stings him, it does, to an extent, "ground" him in that it humanizes him and makes him more empathetic to others. What he does for others at that point isn't, in my eyes, an attempt to restore some semblance of order, but as the tagline of the poster suggests, it's a story of a man about ready to make a connection.

I think you're right about this ending, BBB -- just when he's ready to make a connection, they get closed off to him. All he's left with is his new membership card. While he now can help others, ie. giving miles to his sister and her new husband as well as writing the letter for Natalie, he's still thrust back up in the air all alone at a time when he finally doesn't want to be. It's quite tragic. In that, I don't agree w/your earlier comment: "It’s almost a quasi-tragedy, but in the end, the final scene, you can see Natalie’s impact on Ryan for the better." She certainly impacted him, but I don't think it's for the better. I think he's now aware he wants more but is stuck back where he started. It feels very tragic to me.

Hey Andy, just read your reply. I'm looking at the very ending of the film - not necessarily the point where Ryan makes a decision to pursue Alex and fails. The fallout from that becomes his baggage. The question left at the ending is, will he allow this to revert back to his old self/way of life, which isn't change at all, or will he use the preceding story events to change? I think the answer is found in the script by the description of the scene: Ryan stops and looks up at the GIANT BOARD OF DESTINATIONS. An endless list of cities around the world. A menu of new lives departing every five minutes. That last part is key. A menu of new lives departing every five minutes. Prior to this, Ryan is described as appearing to be much as we first met him, but something is different. This is essentially the author telling us what's at stake and the action, the decision to take a new direction, is signaled by Ryan letting go of his baggage. This is not somebody reverting back to his old ways to fly the friendly skies for work. This is now a guy who, to me, appears to be ditching his work, his previous life, and setting out for a new one full of endless opportunities. It's why he refers to himself being one of those lights in the sky, slightly brighter than the rest. He's reached some form of enlightenment through his experiences and that tempers the tragic feeling because it signifies personal growth.

[...] (gointothestory.blcklst.com)Young Adult (2011) by Jason Reitman (vertigostare.wordpress.com)GITS Script Reading and Analysis Series: “Up In The Air” (gointothestory.blcklst.com)GITS Script Reading and Analysis Series: “Up In The Air” [...]