Up In The Air: A-

George Clooney has his work cut out for him in "Up In The Air." He's a corporate downsizing specialist, a hired hatchet man to make the cuts bosses don't have the stomach for. And the way he lives with himself is by fully embracing a life on the road.

For him, a night in the Hilton in wichita is as warm and comfortable as home. Airports are his office. He's kind of like Tom Hanks in "The Terminal" only he makes every airport his home. He's the kind of guy who picks up a fellow female traveler on the road by comparing their club cards.

I'm convinced that no one other than George Clooney could have possibly played this part. No one else could have found a soul in this seemingly superficial character. And that's quite a feat because his boss says bad times for the economy are great times for them, and he's fired so many people so many times for so long nothing fazes him any more.

His life in which he's devoted himself to building up miles and gaining even more elite status among the airlines, hotels, and car rental companies he uses every day is a fantasy. But it may be the only way to truly survive with some kind of happiness. I've known plenty of people who travel a lot for a living, and everyone says the same thing. After about the first week, it gets to be a grind and you start to hate it.

The story is almost deceptively lighter than air. Clooney sees his chosen way of life under attack when his boss played by Jason Bateman considers pulling him off the road and firing everyone by webcam instead. To make a case for why its beneficial to do your dirty work face to face, he agrees to take the new corporate whizkid named Natalie along for the ride to show her the ropes. There are a few ringers like Zach Galifinakis and J.K. Simmons among the mopes who get canned along the way.

Up in the Air isn't a movie that jumps out and grabs you immediately. It kind of sidles up next to you and begins making conversation. And the more time you spend thinking about it, the more agreeable it seems. And before long you've found yourself watching a movie that has won over your heart with charm, and wit.

Up In The Air: A-