George Clooney, despite being one of the most A-listed men on the planet, seems to spend very little of his time making blockbusters. He manages to maintain hugely mainstream status, while choosing roles in offbeat or unusual films, and supporting projects that he believes in (see: Oh Brother Where Art Thou?, Good Night and Good Luck, etc) With this in mind, I had high hopes for this quirky comedy about a businessman who spends most of his life flying from one part of America to another.
In reality, the film did not turn out to be anything special, although it was well-acted and amusing. Clooney is charming and charismatic as Ryan Bingham, who loves his life on the road and eschews emotional ties, and his skills as a comic actor are also on display. Although the film is never hilarious, there are plenty of laughs to be had. Telling little details of Ryan’s life are revealed as he shows off his frequent flyer cards to fellow business traveller and occasional lover Alex (Vera Farmiga), or demonstrates his methods for a quick and painless transit through an airport to the new recruit he reluctantly trains (Anna Kendrick). Kendrick also gives a good performance as Natalie, the overly ambitious young employee with big ideas that threaten Ryan’s way of life.
The film is directed with a light touch and neatly ducks a number of narrative clichés, but it lacks the emotional punch to really make a lasting impression. The characters go through mostly plausible emotional journeys but somehow it is hard to care deeply about them. There is a confusing scene in which Natalie confesses her insecurities to the other two main characters, explaining how she feels under pressure to ‘have it all’ – to be successful in her career but also to be married with children by a certain age. It isn’t clear whether the scene is being played for laughs, or whether these deeply stereotypical concerns are a serious attempt at character development. However, elsewhere I felt the humour was well-pitched.
This is a gentle and entertaining film that is smart enough to resist easy answers or a neat ending, but in emotional terms I felt it didn’t quite get off the ground.
