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Ryan Bingham is the Organization Man for the 2000s. He never comes to the office. Technically, he doesn't have an office, he has an address where his employer has an office. His life is devoted to visiting other people's offices, and firing them. “Up in the Air” takes the trust people once had in their jobs and pulls out the rug. It is a film for this time.

Bingham describes himself as a Termination Facilitator. He fires people for a living. When corporations need to downsize quickly but hate the mess, he flies in and breaks the news to the new former employees. In hard times, his business is great.

This isn't a comedy. If it were, it would be hard to laugh in these last days of 2009. Nor is it a tragedy. It's an observant look at how a man does a job. Too many movie characters have jobs involving ruling people, killing them, or going to high school. Bingham loves his work. He doesn't want a home. He doesn't want a family. He gives self-help lectures on how and why to unpack the backpack of your life.

George Clooney plays Bingham as one of those people you meet but never get to know. They go through all the forms, and know all the right moves, and you're “friends,” but — who's in there? At his funeral, people confess they never really knew him. Sitting in a first-class seat one day, asked where he lives, Bingham says, “Here.”

He likes his job because he feels he performs a service. Nobody likes to fire someone. Someone has to. He has protocols. In a curious way, he's like the two Army men in “ The Messenger ,” who notify the next of kin after a soldier is killed. Jason Reitman , the director, auditioned real people who had recently been fired to play some of the fired employees (others are played by actors). He asked them to improvise their words on learning the news. Would you want the job of listening to their pain?

There are two women in Bingham's life. Alex Goran ( Vera Farmiga ) is also a road warrior, and for some time they've been meeting in dreary “Suite” hotels in East Moses, Nowhere — having meals, making love, play-acting at being the happy couple neither one will commit to. Natalie Keener ( Anna Kendrick ) is a bright, ambitious new graduate who has taken a job with Bingham's company because it's near her boyfriend. Bingham takes her on the road to teach her the ropes. Alex is him now, Natalie is him then.

Farmiga is one of the warmest and most attractive women in the movies, or at least she plays one. You may not guess all she's thinking. Kendrick's Natalie is so brim-full of joy at the dawn of her career that it shines even on ending those of others. Nothing better than making your boss happy.

The isolation of the road life is threatened by the introduction of firing by Web chat. This is in-sourcing, if you will. It may not be warmer than firing someone in person, but it saves a lot of money on airfare. Notice how Reitman likes to start with the way corporations justify immoral behavior and then apply their rationalizations with perfect logic. That method was at the core of his brilliant debut, “ Thank You for Smoking ” (2005).

Reitman also made the great “ Juno .” Still only 32, the son of the Canadian producer-director Ivan Reitman (“ Ghostbusters ”), he grew up behind the counter of the family store, so to speak. With these three films at the dawn of his career, we can only imagine what comes next. He makes smart, edgy mainstream films. That's harder than making smart, edgy indies. In a pie chart he compiled of questions he's asked time and again during interviews, “How does your father feel about your success?” ranks high. Bursting with pride, is my guess.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Up in the Air (2009)

Rated R for for language and some sexual content

109 minutes

George Clooney as Ryan Bingham

Vera Farmiga as Alex Goran

Anna Kendrick as Keener

Directed by

Jason Reitman
Sheldon Turner

Based on the novel by

Walter Kirn

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‘up in the air’: film review.

Before Jason Reitman's film plunges into deeper waters, it seduces us with some of the most darkly hilarious moments to grace the screen in years.

By Stephen Farber

Stephen Farber

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Movie Review | 'Up in the Air'

Neither Here Nor There

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By Manohla Dargis

Dec. 3, 2009

For most people there’s no joy in sucking down recycled oxygen while hurtling above the clouds. The free drinks and freshly baked cookies in business might be nice. (I wouldn’t know.) For most of us, though, air travel largely invokes the indignities of the stockyard, complete with the crowding and pushing, the endlessly long lines, hovering handlers, carefully timed feedings, a faint communal reek and underlying whiff of peril. The skies rarely seem friendly anymore, but to Ryan Bingham, the corporate assassin played by George Clooney in the laugh-infused stealth tragedy “Up in the Air,” they’re so welcoming, he might as well be home.

And so he is. Like many high-altitude border crossers who sometimes seem alone in keeping the airlines aloft, those business types with the corrugated brows, juggling BlackBerrys and double-shot lattes, Bingham lives in between here and there, home and away. The difference is, he loves interstitial living, finds comfort and more in all the spaces associated with airports and airplanes or in what Walter Kirn, in his novel that inspired the film, calls Airworld. “To know me is to fly with me,” Bingham says in the film, like an airborne Descartes. It’s as if as a child he had heard and heeded the call of the female attendants for National Airlines who, in the gilded flying age, used to purr, “Fly Me.” Back when flying meant soaring.

That was then, this is now, and this is here, meaning the crash-and-burn-baby-burn America in which one man’s economic crisis is another’s golden opportunity. This is our moment, enthuses Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman, pitch perfect), the unctuous pragmatist for whom Bingham works if rarely sees in person. Some men hunt heads, others like Bingham lop them off. A “career transition” counselor, he crisscrosses the country firing employees whose bosses won’t pull the plug themselves. Racking up scalps and miles might seem like a tough way to make a living. Yet it suits Bingham, a solo act for whom no hotel room is too depressing or crowd too lonely, which makes him ripe for the dramatic picking.

The young director Jason Reitman initially takes a hard-sell approach to Bingham, putting the character and of course Mr. Clooney front, center and under flattering light, as if he were selling a luxury car or diamond watch, which in some ways he is. In fighting trim, Mr. Clooney looks suitably sleek, even when dressed in the generic business clothes he’s soon packing into a suitcase, a task that’s captured in a series of precisely framed, rapid shots. Expressive of both efficiency and a routinized existence, this sequence is itself an economic narrative device (one Mr. Reitman repeats). But it also comes across as glib, a shortcut to character, making it hard to know if it’s Bingham who’s the slick one here or Mr. Reitman.

The answer is both, though Mr. Reitman is working harder than it first appears and more than he did in either “Juno” or “Thank You for Smoking,” his only other features. The son of a funnyman (his father, the producer-director Ivan Reitman, helped bankroll this movie), the younger Mr. Reitman seems to have been weaned on screwball comedies he likes women and teasing patter and classic Hollywood is in his blood. “Up in the Air” is an assertively, and unapologetically, tidy package, from its use of romance to instill some drama into the narrative (the book introduces disease instead) and the mope-rock tunes that Mr. Reitman needlessly overuses. When you have Mr. Clooney and Vera Farmiga on camera, you don’t need some professional emoticon mewling away on the soundtrack.

Ms. Farmiga enters the picture, legs and intelligence flashing, just around the time you think that nothing much is going to happen with Bingham. (A crash? a terrorist strike?) As Alex, a fast-moving businesswoman, Ms. Farmiga bats around the double-entendres effortlessly and brings out real warmth and palpable vulnerability in her co-star. To watch them together particularly during their later scenes, when they visit Bingham’s hometown is to realize just how much alone time Mr. Clooney clocks in his movies. It says something about the dearth of strong female stars in American cinema that he hasn’t been this well matched with a woman since Jennifer Lopez in the 1998 caper film “Out of Sight.” (In the years since, Brad Pitt has been playing Rosalind Russell to Mr. Clooney’s Cary Grant in the “Ocean’s” movies.)

One of the pleasures of “Up in the Air” is that its actresses including Anna Kendrick, who plays Bingham’s colleague Natalie share the frame with Mr. Clooney as equals, not props. The ferocious Ms. Kendrick, her ponytail swinging like an ax, grabs every scene she’s in, which works for her go-getter (go-get-him) character, who is sent out on the road with Bingham as part of an efficiency campaign. She’s a monster for our times: a presumed human-resources expert who, having come of age in front of a computer, has no grasp of the human. By contrast Bingham, who fires people face to face with a small smile and pat speech, comes across as the good guy, though only if you forget what he does for a living.

Mr. Reitman successfully exploits the seeming disconnect between his star (whom we can’t help but like) and the character he plays (whom we want to like, simply because he’s played by Mr. Clooney), so much so that it takes some time for you to notice the approaching darkness. Mr. Reitman certainly hints at the trouble to come: however bright Mr. Clooney’s smile, there is something terribly off about Bingham’s blithe attitude both toward his own existential reality and his profession. Instructively, it is how Mr. Reitman circles around the character, showing how Bingham’s actions affect not just him, but also those around him including the people he fires that deepen the movie if not its peripatetic center.

There are different ways into “Up in the Air,” which can be viewed as a well-timed snapshot of an economically flailing America, appreciated as a study in terminal narcissism or dismissed as a sentimental testament to traditional coupling. A wedding subplot, for one, involving Bingham’s sisters (Melanie Lynskey and Amy Morton), which brings him closer to Alex, threatens to swamp the story in sentimentality. Yet to put too much stock in this detour (which also involves Danny McBride) is to flatten a film bristling with contradictions. Certainly you can fall for Bingham, maybe even shed a tear for him, though don’t get carried away (as he does) or mistake him for some kind of hero. The truer tragedy here, as the repeated images of fired men and women suggest, doesn’t belong to him.

“Up in the Air” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Adult language and partial female nudity if not (alas) male.

UP IN THE AIR

Opens on Friday nationwide.

Directed by Jason Reitman; written by Mr. Reitman and Sheldon Turner, based on the novel by Walter Kirn; director of photography, Eric Steelberg; edited by Dana E. Glauberman; music by Rolfe Kent; production designer, Steve Saklad; produced by Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki and Jeffrey Clifford; released by Paramount Pictures. Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes.

WITH: George Clooney (Ryan Bingham), Vera Farmiga (Alex Goran), Anna Kendrick (Natalie Keener), Danny McBride (Jim Miller), Jason Bateman (Craig Gregory), Melanie Lynskey (Julie Bingham), Amy Morton (Kara Bingham), Sam Elliott (Maynard Finch), J. K. Simmons (Bob), Zach Galifianakis (Steve) and Chris Lowell (Kevin).

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DVD & Streaming

Up in the Air

Comedy , Drama , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

December 4, 2009
George Clooney as Ryan Bingham; Vera Farmiga as Alex Goran; Anna Kendrick as Natalie Keener; Jason Bateman as Craig Gregory; J.K. Simmons as Bob; Amy Morton as Kara Bingham; Danny McBride as Jim; Melanie Lynskey as Julie

Home Release Date

March 9, 2010
Jason Reitman

Distributor

Paramount Pictures

Movie Review

Ryan Bingham’s occupation is to relieve people of theirs. He spends 322 days on the road, living out of a carry-on bag and firing employees for corporate honchos who are too gutless to do it themselves. In depressed economic times, his career crescendos.

He packs clothing, wields frequent flyer miles and navigates security with a drill sergeant’s precision. And his solitary, Up in the Air existence is the only thing he loves. It’s delightfully devoid of commitment, affection and other messy complexities of life. He even moonlights as a motivational speaker, giving self-help lectures on how to simplify life by avoiding relational interaction and obligation.

So meeting Alex throws a huge wrench into Bingham’s machine. His female shark-like equivalent, she’s looking for no-strings-attached sex and companionship on business trips. But their episodic interstate hotel trysts gradually leave Bingham suddenly feeling lonely (!) and wanting more.

Twenty-three-year-old upstart dynamo Natalie is equally disruptive to Bingham’s detached routines. She introduces the idea of firing people remotely over the Internet, possibly saving their company millions in travel expenses—but simultaneously threatening Bingham’s very existence.

You see, Bingham oxymoronically believes employees deserve a personal touch when being let go. He demands that inexperienced Natalie learn the old ways before insisting on new ones. Their boss, Craig, concedes, but requires Bingham to do the showing during a cross-country firing expedition. The two immediately challenge each other’s core beliefs, and both are left in a quandary: Natalie wonders if she can live with herself as she destroys people’s lives. Bingham wonders if he can face having a grown-up connection.

Positive Elements

Bingham’s story brings to light a whole host of issues worth thinking about when it comes to relationships. More on that in my “Conclusion.”

While firing an employee named Bob, Bingham challenges him to rethink his life’s direction, giving him hope. Rather than considering the layoff negative, he tells Bob to see it as a rebirth and chance to pursue his talents and dreams.

Though he hasn’t seen his sisters Kara or Julie in years (Kara tells him, “Basically you don’t exist to us”), he goes to Julie’s wedding and even offers to walk her down the aisle. Later he intervenes when Julie’s fiancé, Jim, gets cold feet, and gives a very-unlikely-from-him pep talk on the importance of companionship and family. When Jim comes around, the experience brings Bingham closer to his siblings. Later he sets up a generous vacation fund for Julie and her new husband.

Craig’s greed and glee in a flagging job market serves as an example not meant to be followed. As does antihero Bingham’s habit of sizing up fellow flyers based almost solely on their race. More negatives that the movie clearly presents as negatives include Bingham manipulating flight attendants (for betters seat assignments) and his ability to apply a false sense of compassion when dealing with the fragile people he fires. Indeed, he’s pretended to feel sympathy for so long that he now seems to think he is actually empathetic. He’s still lying to them, though, when he tells them that their relationship with him is “just the beginning,” and that he’ll help them transition into their next job. In reality he knows he’ll never see them again.

Two more things fall into this negative-positive category: True to the world’s increasingly impersonal style, Natalie quits a job via text message, and her boyfriend breaks up with her using the same method.

Spiritual Elements

Bingham loosely compares his profession to the Greek god Charon, who ferries souls across the Styx in the afterlife. A traditional marriage ceremony is shown.

Sexual Content

Bingham and Alex’s banter about frequent flyer miles and rental cars is riddled with double entendres. And soon he takes her to his hotel room, where the camera gets a shot of her naked backside. (Bingham’s bare-chested.) They kiss, talk briefly of sexual positions and meet for similar rendezvous later.

Unbeknownst to Bingham, Alex is married, and when he visits her residence unexpectedly, she tells him to leave, hissing, “That’s my family. That’s my real life.” She calls him a “parenthesis” and an “escape”—two things he himself had sought until their relationship.

A reference or two is made to homosexuality, prostitution, masturbation and erections. Alex and Bingham “sext” each other. At least one other couple kisses passionately. Women in low-cut dresses show some cleavage.

Violent Content

A recently axed employee pours bleach into the office coffeepot and wields a rifle in a sniper-like attempt at revenge. (No one is hurt.) We hear that an employee whom Natalie and Ryan fired committed suicide by jumping off a bridge.

Crude or Profane Language

Close to 25 f-words and about 10 s-words. God’s name is misused a half-dozen times, Christ’s another three or four. Other language includes a few utterances each of “h‑‑‑,” “a‑‑hole,” “pr‑‑k,” “p‑‑‑ed,” “d‑‑k” and “p‑‑‑y.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Alex and Bingham first meet over cocktails in a bar. Later the couple and Natalie crash a corporate party where Natalie gets drunk. Alcohol also makes appearances on planes and in hotel minibars and restaurants.

Other Negative Elements

Alex and Bingham break into a school.

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

“How much does your life weigh?” Bingham asks. And he tells audiences to imagine carrying their lives around in a backpack. First put in the knickknacks, the linens, clothes, TV and couch. Eventually add relationships—everyone from acquaintances to a spouse. Then ponder the crushing weight of the obligations, negotiations and secret compromises made because of these people and things.

Bingham prefers to walk away from it all. His life is about streamlining and traveling light. “The slower we move, the faster we die,” he says.

So it’s no coincidence that director Jason Reitman uses The Velveteen Rabbit in one of his scenes. The children’s story exemplifies Bingham’s life: fear of becoming authentic through relationship. After all, being in communion with people is demanding. As the rabbit demonstrates, it wears out your joints, exhausts you and damages your fur.

But it simultaneously makes your life and world wonderfully real.

Bingham does grow to realize that his sterile reality is not a life at all. But downtrodden by Alex’s rejection—and unlike Natalie who courageously seeks other employment—he cannot find it in himself to change. His, then, becomes more of a cautionary tale than an inspirational one as his plight indirectly elevates pursuing family and friends over stockpiling frequent flyer miles.

(The film’s inclusion of sex, boozing and foul language defies direct inspiration , too.)

“We are here to make limbo more tolerable” for the newly unemployed, Bingham tells Natalie. In reality, though, he’s the one treading water. The movie knows it. And we know it.

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What it's about

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a corporate axman, he comes in a fires people when the managers are too afraid to do it themselves. The nature of his work requires a lot of flying, short lived meetings in transit zones and he absolutely loves it, and he has a certain goal in mind. When the company tries a new approach to corporate downsizing he has to change his way and view of life. It's full of cynicism and warmth. If you are familiar with Jason Reitman's previous work, you'll feel right at home, if you don't : Get to it!

MexicanYenta

Disagree 100% with this rating. My daughter and I saw this together, and both agreed it was one of the worst, most depressing movies we’d ever need. Daughter’s comment was “Why would anyone even MAKE that movie?!?”

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Movie Review: Up in the Air (2009)

General Disdain
Movie Reviews
16 responses
--> December 6, 2009

Don’t be fooled by the trailers for Up in the Air . It may seem like a formulaic romantic comedy. It’s not. Not by a long shot. Jason Reitman, following up his Juno breakthrough, has put together a finely developed and many times amusing story about choices — both personal and professional — and their consequences — planned and unplanned — to oneself and to others.

And it is these choices, for better of worse (depending on whose perspective you are looking from), that smooth talker Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is all about cashing in on. Coining himself as the “Termination Facilitator”, he zigzags across the country and delivers that dreaded zinger to employees — of whatever company that’s hired him — that they’re now out of a job. To you and me it would seem like a thankless job, but Bingham relishes his position and the freedom it affords him — i.e., no commitments.

In this role, Clooney shows, once again, why he is one of the more sought after actors on the planet. Reitman claimed he wrote the role specifically with Clooney in mind and without a doubt it shows. George sweats confidence and puts forth that swagger without being entirely egotistical that is needed for a man hired to fire people. He’s also able to pull off the opposite side of the spectrum equally well — Bingham is also one lonely son of a bitch even though he thinks he isn’t. A streak of fear runs through him too when he finds he himself may be shit canned.

That’s right what goes around comes around. Recent graduate and looking to make a name for herself, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) convinces Bingham’s boss Craig (Jason Bateman) that there is money to be saved by firing people via video conferencing. It stands to be a tidy sum of money when you stop to think the amount of layoffs occurring this day and age and that Ryan has nearly accumulated 10,000,000 air miles. Self preservation kicks in and he gets Natalie to tag along so she can see for herself that ironically it isn’t only about the bottom line — his “personal touch” is worth the price.

The other lady in Ryan’s life is quite nearly a mirror image of himself. Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) is a constant traveler too, finding herself living out of a suitcase most days of the year. And while both agree relationships complicate their lives; they alter their flight schedules so they can happen into one another for fleeting sex and camaraderie. She is wholly more complex than she lets on and the chemistry between the two is rather fresh and striking.

All combined, Up in the Air is a masterstroke. Reitman mixes the elements of drama and satire superbly; gets a great performance from his bankable star; and gets even better performances by his two lesser known actresses. And seeing as the film was released so late in the year, it is surely looking for Oscar consideration. Being such a fine movie, I can’t imagine it won’t earn a nod or two . . .

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.

Movie Review: Ghosted (2023) Movie Review: Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) Movie Review: Fantasy Island (2020) Movie Review: Snatched (2017) Movie Review: Horrible Bosses 2 (2014) Movie Review: ABCs of Death 2 (2014) Movie Review: Life After Beth (2014)

'Movie Review: Up in the Air (2009)' have 16 comments

December 6, 2009 @ 5:32 pm Steven Smith

I’ll partially agree with you that George Clooney is a good actor. The reason he is good though is because he always plays the same role type (paraphrasing from your review): “Confident with that swagger that isn’t entirely egotistical.” Take a look at his body of work and I think you’ll agree. Break him out of his comfort zone and I’ll bet he turns into a pumpkin.

December 8, 2009 @ 2:57 am akira

most recently i watched Men who stare at the goats movie where George Clooney acted very different character. in this time he plays in up in the air movie and it was really fantastic.

December 11, 2009 @ 9:19 am General Disdain

Steven –

Clooney takes on all role types and, more often than not, does a fine job.

December 20, 2009 @ 9:04 am Elmer Carlson

Clooney performed well in this movie. Also, the movie is undeniably great that discussed layoffs.

January 20, 2010 @ 2:41 pm Van Lines

the chemistry between the leads was fantastic and anna kendrick’s performance was criminally underrated. I definitely see a nomination or 3.

January 30, 2010 @ 8:35 am Katy

I enjoyed the movie and thought the performances were great, especially Anna Kendrick’s. I also could see the “real” George Clooney in this role..I’m not sure if it took much acting at all. However, as good as the acting was, I thought most of the movie was predictable. In fact I “called” many scenes before they happened except the ending. I wish the ending was different..I thought is was terribly sad.

January 30, 2010 @ 4:26 pm JerseyMike

For some reason, I couldn’t connect with this movie. I didn’t find it particularly interesting or engaging for me to give it high marks. I think Clooney did the part justice, but it was a-typical role for him…

I just wished I liked the film more, I certainly wanted too…

January 30, 2010 @ 9:43 pm Jamie

Just watched it and it was a very quiet film with good writing and excellent performances. I kinda liked how Reitman introduced the characters in the first half, the brilliant part of the film but in the 2nd half was a total…meh. Filled with cliches, poor pacing and visual editing. Anna Kendrick is definitely a scene stealer. She gave the best performance in the film, but her crying scene is really irritating. Vera Farmiga provided a very subtle and sexy work in here but I expected more. George Clooney is also very good as the central character, although there are some scenes that he bores me. Brillianr first half, mediocre second half. 9/10

April 7, 2010 @ 5:14 am country show

Its fantastic movie. Its comedy is amazing. Jason Reitman done a great job for making this great movie.

May 10, 2010 @ 6:21 am Jessica Jameson

Up In The Air was the best movie I had seen in a while, I can say its the best in even maybe 5 years time – it gave me sooooo much mentally and Georg Clooney put the icing on the cake in this movie :)

September 1, 2010 @ 11:45 am FPP

I’ve loved this movie. Seen it 3 times and i would still wacht it.

September 20, 2010 @ 8:35 pm Reuben

We weren’t sure if we would enjoy this movie since it dealt with people getting fired, however, we were pleasantly surprised. We found the characters to be interesting and the movie enjoyable. George Clooney and Anna Kendrick had wonderful chemistry.

October 5, 2010 @ 4:45 am Thomas Angelo

Great movie. Was in theater three times so liked it. I was stunned that movie with a budget of $25m could earn more than $158m (and statistics are growing) Recommend to all who want to relax and have a good time with friends

October 5, 2010 @ 8:51 am Miwa Portnoy

Hell yeah! Sure it`s great! Seen it only once, but have a strong impressions for a long time. Only District 9 could beat it. (don`t blame – I know that these movies in different genres. I mean impression)

November 4, 2010 @ 4:34 pm Mephisto

I liked this movie personally. I think Clooney is one of the funniest actors out there at the moment. He tends to be basically the same character in most of his movies. A guy who is in control, but is slightly crazy. Maybe a better term would be off the wall. I would rate this film a 8 out of 10 stars. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

November 8, 2010 @ 6:25 pm CMrok93

A well-acted piece about a man’s inability to cope with a world more real than the one he lives. And the screenplay just keeps on getting better and better. Nice review, check out mine when you can!

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Up in the Air

Review by brian eggert december 24, 2009.

Ryan Bingham breezes through airports with the speed and efficiency of a seasoned pro. Indeed, he’s approaching the astronomical amount of frequent-flier miles required to earn him “executive status,” which only six other people in the world have achieved. “More people have walked on the moon,” he boasts. He collects miles like a hobby and gives seminars about the joys of having no emotional ties, or as he calls it, having nothing in his backpack. Bingham’s life is spent on airplanes, flying from job to job where his trade, firing people for weak companies that can’t do it themselves, takes him. He has a one-bedroom apartment that he dreads visiting barely over a month out of the year, and he’s detached from his family. For most of us, his life might sound depressing and lonely. But Bingham loves every minute of isolation, every flourish of recycled oxygen, and phony-nice airport and hotel customer service.

Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air appears staid and bluish, as reserved formally as a deep psychological drama. The atmosphere of cold hotel lobbies and shoddy office buildings certainly doesn’t welcome an audience. But George Clooney does. He plays Bingham, a nomadic “career transition counselor” who prides himself on ushering people into the next phase in their lives, from a job that clearly wasn’t working out to a door of open possibility. He moves as smoothly through a firing as he does through airport security checks, knowing every move to make the transition as painless as possible. Forward movement means life, whereas stopping and planting roots means only a quicker death. In fact, you might say Bingham’s life exists to avoid pain—no family, no friends, just work, and no worries because of it.

Adapted from Walter Kirn’s novel by Reitman and co-writer Sheldon Turner, the film places Bingham in a situation where suddenly his job becomes irrelevant. His company, headed by a smug executive played by Jason Bateman, opts to fire people through cheaper remote video links. But Natalie (Anna Kendrick), the impetuous young go-getter who conceived the system, knows nothing of Bingham’s work and joins him on the road for a bitingly harsh tour. Adding an unnecessary impersonal touch to an already impersonal procedure, the video system grounds Bingham, forcing him to make ties. For example, the casual sex-loving female version of himself, Alex (Vera Farmiga, in another wonderful performance), goes from being a fun time to someone with whom he wants to develop roots.

Reitman’s film would not work at making Bingham so likeable through the story and direction and script alone, which are all well-crafted and socially conscious; Bingham becomes something significant through the performance of George Clooney, whose class and reverberant sex appeal have made him perhaps the most genial onscreen talent today. Those numerous comparisons to Cary Grant’s charisma and cinematic persona are spot-on. What Clooney brings to this role is not something that a writer can conceive, but it’s something Reitman could control by simply watching Clooney’s films—it’s the realization that the actor’s charms act as an illusory device within a narrative such as this, camouflaging the impending darkness of the story and making it seem somehow charming. Still, Clooney, his own life shyly similar to Bingham’s, does great work here and shows a piercing vulnerability that we’ve not yet seen from him.

This is a film that will strike debate among moviegoers, particularly because of the ending. Up in the Air seems to take a pointedly sentimental direction, but then suddenly shifts in the finale, leaving the audience to contemplate what it means. There are various ways to interpret the film. It can be read as a timely snapshot of economic unsteadiness in America, and how that instability shapes people—from those who take advantage of it, to those who cling to their loved ones in times of distress. Or, perhaps it’s simply a character study of someone who realizes their way of life has left them with nothing. But then, Reitman includes footage of persons actually fired in real-life in the end, confessing that they would not have made it through their “career transition” without their family and friends. These scenes seem to awkwardly overshadow Bingham, leaving his storyline but a symptom of a much larger disease that has weight in the film.

Up in the Air remains a painful, intelligent, and darkly comic drama that will affect you regardless of how you choose to interpret it. The son of Ivan Reitman (the producer-director behind the Ghostbusters movies), the young Jason Reitman has made only three films and accomplished varying degrees of greatness with each. The much-acclaimed satire Thank You for Smoking and the quirky comedy Juno preceded this picture, making a small but significant career for the young filmmaker. This is the director’s best work thus far, as its timelessness (whereas Juno has already become dated and irrelevant) and social reflectivity will no doubt strum a vital chord with audiences today and tomorrow.

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Up in the air, common sense media reviewers.

Adult dramedy taps into emotions of current tough times.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie brings a fresh perspective to the cliche

Main character Ryan is a decent man trying to do a

A man is briefly shown toting a firearm in an imag

A woman is briefly shown naked from behind, with n

Fairly frequent use of everything from “a--h

American Airlines feels like a “proud sponso

Social drinking at bars and parties; at one point,

Positive Messages

The movie brings a fresh perspective to the cliched but true lesson that no man (or woman) is an island. It suggests that in these challenging times, connection may just be the way to survive.

Positive Role Models

Main character Ryan is a decent man trying to do a very difficult job: firing people. Though he can’t do much to help them, he displays unusual empathy for their situation. That said, he’s a pretty isolated guy, proudly unrooted. But he discovers that he needs more in his life and sets out to get it -- as well as give to others. A colleague tries to do her job well, too, but she forgets that efficiency can’t replace humanity. Another character appears to be sympathetic, but she’s complicated: married and constricted by that commitment.

Violence & Scariness

A man is briefly shown toting a firearm in an imaginary sequence. Workers who’ve been fired curse and talk about killing themselves; one tosses a chair around in frustration.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A woman is briefly shown naked from behind, with nothing on but a necktie wrapped around her waist. She and her lover kiss and tussle in bed. They also talk about sex fairly candidly and send each other suggestive messages -- overall, they're shown teasing and bantering more often than having sex. A married character cheats on her husband; another is left by her boyfriend.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Fairly frequent use of everything from “a--hole” to “s--t” to “f--k," as well as "ass," "hell," "crap," "prick," and "oh my God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

American Airlines feels like a “proud sponsor” of the film since its logo is visible nearly every time the main character has to travel. Many other logos and brands associated with business travel also pop up throughout the movie, including Hilton, Hertz, and Marriott.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Social drinking at bars and parties; at one point, a group of revelers is happily intoxicated. A few tiny bottles of liquor are shown tucked in one character’s fridge.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that director Jason Reitman 's thoughtful drama about a man (played by George Clooney ) who fires people for a living (criss-crossing the country by plane to do so) examines uncomfortable, grown-up truths both timely (unemployment, financial stress) and perennial -- family dysfunction and loneliness. Still, despite its heavy themes, strong language (including "s--t" and "f--k"), and some sexual interplay between characters (including brief rear nudity), it has enormous empathy and insight that may resonate with older teens who are trying to grapple with and understand increasingly complex issues. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

Parents say (16)
Kids say (15)

Based on 16 parent reviews

Film Art or Victim Art?

Not worth the effort. not a feel-good movie., what's the story.

Ryan Bingham ( George Clooney ) has a dream: To be the seventh person ever to accumulate 10 million frequent-flier miles. And he's not far off. He spends 270 days a year in the air; airports and planes and hotels are home to him. When he's not on the motivational circuit, extolling the virtues of carrying a lightly packed symbolic backpack -- both objects and people can weigh you down, you see -- he's zigzagging the country to assist companies in firing their workers. And amazingly, he does it with more than a modicum of empathy and soul. But a young upstart ( Twilight supporting player Anna Kendrick ) is convinced that the process can be mechanized -- which could ground Bingham short of his goal, take him away from another business traveler ( Vera Farmiga ) he's fallen in love with, and make him examine what -- and where -- is really home.

Is It Any Good?

UP IN THE AIR is by no means perfect. To start, it hits screenplay mileposts a little too on the nose, like an A student raising his hand for yet another crack at an answer we know he'll get. And yet it takes us to places we never quite expect. It's irreverent when we think it will be serious; serious when we think it will go for laughs. It's surprising -- and that doesn't happen often in the movies these days.

Based on a bestselling novel by Walter Kirn, Jason Reitman 's film is literary without being self-consciously so. Clooney delivers perhaps his best performance yet, with more nuance and less reliance on his usual tics (the downcast looks, the easy smile). The vulnerability he displays with Farmiga, a worthy female counterpart, convinces but doesn't overplay. Bingham's journey is one we've all found ourselves on: how to connect in a world that makes it so easy to be within reach, yet so hard to reach out, even to family. It also captures these challenging times, when jobs and, yes, people seem expendable. And yet, they're not: The film gives them a voice, one downsized worker at a time.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Bingham's job: Is it a difficult one? Does he enjoy it? Why does he seem committed to doing it? Does it make him a bad guy or good? What about Natalie, his colleague?

How does the movie capture a particular moment in history? Does it seem realistic, or has it been Hollywood-ized?

Who do you think the movie is trying to reach? Does it succeed?

Movie Details

In theaters : December 4, 2009
On DVD or streaming : March 9, 2010
Cast : Anna Kendrick , George Clooney , Vera Farmiga
Director : Jason Reitman
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Paramount Pictures
Genre : Drama
Run time : 109 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : language and some sexual content
Last updated : December 6, 2023

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Up in the Air Reviews

83 Metascore
1 hr 49 mins
Drama, Comedy
Watchlist Where to Watch

Ryan Bingham works for a company that specialises in firing people, and he's forced to take a newcomer named Natalie along on a business trip in order to show her firsthand what he does. Along the way, Ryan begins to reflect on his lonely life and develops a relationship with fellow frequent flyer Alex Goran.

In economic times as shaky as these, it takes a certain amount of bravery to make your movie’s hero a businessman who fires people as a profession, but that’s what Jason Reitman does with Up in the Air. That he makes his main character sympathetic is just one of the film’s startling achievements. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) makes his living personally handing out pink slips -- he’s the top hatchet man at a company that other companies hire when they are downsizing. And since business is booming, his job keeps him on the go constantly. He flies all across the country, staying in a series of nice hotels. And although this itinerant lifestyle prevents him from having any kind of stable, regular life, this doesn’t bother him in the slightest -- he’s thrilled to be a boy in a traveling bubble. During one particular layover, he strikes up a conversation with Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), a fellow savvy traveler. They bond over the ins and outs of various airlines and hotels, and quickly fall into bed. By morning, they are figuring out when their schedules will allow them to meet up again, even though they both make it clear that there are no strings attached. When Ryan arrives back in the home office, he meets no-nonsense career-oriented twentysomething Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), a fast-rising up-and-comer who wants to change the company’s practices and save millions by having the staff fire people remotely via webcams. Furious at the thought of losing a lifestyle he’s grown quite comfortable with, he convinces his boss (Jason Bateman) to let him take Natalie on a few trips so that she can learn what it’s really like to fire someone. She learns the ins and outs of dealing with people who’ve been given the worst news of their lives -- how to handle them firmly but calmly, while serving up a few inspirational platitudes. Clooney brings to these sequences a maturity we haven’t seen in his other work -- honestly, if you had to be fired you would want Ryan to do it. But it’s precisely the character’s ability to comfortably cut ties that makes him a loner in his private life. He conveys Ryan’s lone wolf persona not as a defense against life -- a mask to cover up some hidden pain -- but simply as just the way the guy is. That makes his slow transformation -- his realization that Alex might be something more than just another friend with benefits -- all the more realistic. Clooney may be in every scene, but he’s far from the only performer who gets to shine: Farmiga might be one of the few actresses who can match him when it comes to playful sexiness; Kendrick finds depth in a part that could have been little more than a stereotypical high-strung go-getter; and J.K. Simmons breaks your heart as one of Ryan’s many victims. For its first half, Up in the Air combines the workplace comedy with the road movie, and it’s an engaging, entertaining melding of those two durable genres. But where the film surprises is by changing gears halfway through into a bittersweet family comedy. Ryan’s sister (Melanie Lynskey) is getting married, and, for possibly the first time in his life, he wants to make a real connection with his siblings. This follows through on yet another plot strand -- Ryan’s attempt to make a living as a self-help guru. He has a side gig lecturing about how to manage your life, and he stresses that the weight of relationships in our lives slows us down when life is all about moving forward. Up in the Air is about Ryan learning what’s true and what isn’t about this speech he’s been giving for years. Reitman’s film is so ambitious you can’t shake the feeling he’s trying to create “The Great American Movie,” a summation of where we are right now at the close of the 21st century’s first decade. Up in the Air is so truthful, poignant, and entertaining, so assured with its adherence to classical Hollywood structure, that he just might have pulled it off.

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Up in the Air (2009) is surprisingly excellent film!

Fantastic performances by Clooney, Farmiga and Kendrick. Good scenario. Well-written characters. Very nice editing! So many great scenes!

I felt so bad for Clooney's character. He wanted something more. He wanted to spent time with her. Then it turns out she had family. And that was heartbreaking .

Anna Kendrick was honestly so good in it. That video chat firing scene was just heartbreaking and gave Kendrick an Oscar-worthy performance. I'm glad she was nominated an Oscar, she showed us why people SUCK nowadays. Oh and, Farmiga was also great too.

I highly recommend it if you haven't seen. It's a fantastic movie!

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Movie Review: “Up in the Air”

Many people say that home is where the heart is, but for Ryan Bingham (Clooney), home is up in the air. As an employee of Career Transition Counseling, Ryan makes his living flying from town to town firing people so that their bosses don’t have to. He loves the freedom that travel brings him (not to mention the perks), so when a hot shot college grad named Natalie (Anna Kendrick) arrives in town with a proposal to cut expenses by revolutionizing their trade via video conferencing, Ryan’s lifestyle is in danger of being grounded. After his boss suggests Ryan show Natalie the ropes on the road, however, he begins seeing a cute frequent flier (Vera Farmiga) who may just change his philosophy about life as a corporate road warrior.

Though “Up in the Air” is technically based on the novel of the same name by Walter Kirn, the two couldn’t be any more different. With the exception of the Ryan Bingham character and a few other details (like his sister’s upcoming wedding and his sleazy boss, played to perfection by Jason Bateman ), Reitman’s version has changed significantly. For starters, Anna Kendrick’s character is a completely original creation, while the relationship between Clooney and Farmiga has been given much more depth. Fans of the book likely won’t mind, either, because it allows Kirn’s novel to exist independently of the film. Both are great stories, but they’re about two different things.

The book was about Ryan’s obsession with attaining elite status in his personal and professional life, while the movie focuses more on how his relationships change him as a person. Clooney is tailor-made for the role – a charming but mildly arrogant bachelor who would much rather spend his life surrounded by strangers than with family and friends. It only makes his young-at-heart fling with Farmiga that much more enjoyable, as their flirty first encounter (over which travel reward programs give you the best value) blossoms into one of the most memorable onscreen romances in years.

Clooney may carry the film, but Anna Kendrick runs away with it as his fast-talking, business-minded pupil. She’s been flying under the radar for years with scene-stealing roles in movies like “Rocket Science” and the “Twilight” series, but “Up in the Air” finally gives her the chance to really shine. It would be a major understatement to say that she doesn’t make the most of it, because Kendrick easily delivers one of the best female performances of the year. She’s reason enough to see the film, but in addition to a refreshingly honest script and a great ensemble cast, “Up in the Air” gives you several more. It doesn’t match the 10,000,000-mile goal that Ryan Bingham has set for himself, but if “Up in the Air” was a passenger, it would definitely be flying first class.

4 / 5 Stars Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons Director: Jason Reitman

Single-Disc Blu-Ray Review:

Released just in time for the Academy Awards, the Blu-ray release of “Up in the Air” features a small but solid collection of extras. The commentary with director/co-writer Jason Reitman, director of photography Eric Steelberg, and first assistant director Jason Blumenfeld is incredibly informative, with Reitman leading a lively discussion about making the film. There are also 23 minutes of deleted scenes, and while they were likely cut for time, there’s a lot of good stuff here, including a fun montage that follows Ryan Bingham around town as he learns to adapt to his post-Airworld lifestyle. Rounding out the set is a short featurette on Shadowplay (the company responsible for the opening title sequence), some video storyboard comparisons, and a music video.

About Author

In addition to writing for Bullz-Eye.com, Jason is a proud member of the Columbus Film Critics Association (COFCA) and the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS).

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Up in the air review.

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28 Years Later Set Photos Reveal How Much The World Has Changed Since Original Virus Outbreak

The best pacific rim sequel came out in 2021 and was much better than uprising, clint eastwood's a fistful of dollars is getting a remake 60 years later.

Screen Rant's Kofi Outlaw reviews Up In The Air

Up In The Air is a film whose entire point can be discerned from its title. This new offering from Juno director Jason Reitman stars George Clooney as a man whose existence involves traveling the country airport to airport, essentially living "above" all that life presses upon the rest of us stuck below.

Clooney's character, Ryan Bingham, is a corporate ax man. Struggling companies hire men like Ryan to fire employees for them - a way of sparing cowardly bosses the inconvenience of actually having to face their crushed employees. With the economy in shambles, life is grand for the restless Ryan - he has plenty of axed employees to help "transition" all across America, meaning he can stay out on the road, free, flying high where he feels he belongs.

A monkey wrench gets thrown into Ryan's frequent-flying lifestyle when young corporate shark Natalie (Anna Kendrick) sells Ryan's boss (Jason Bateman) on a business model where ax men terminate employees over webcam, sparing the company the bill for all that costly traveling. Seeing his own profession (and lifestyle) facing the brink of extinction, Ryan convinces the boss that this young whipper-snapper Natalie needs a firsthand tour of the world she is so desperate to "streamline." So off they go, old pro and young shark, flying into the failing heartland of America.

up_in_the_air_georgeclooney_annakendrick2-500x331

The journey, of course, reveals new things about the travelers. Ryan has some wonderful "layovers" with Alex (Vera Farmiga), a fellow frequent-flyer elitist, and starts to wonder if his isolated life is truly worthwhile. Natalie goes out on the front lines, axing real flesh-and-blood employees face-to-face, and wonders if her cold ambition isn't really hiding a soft heart. Ryan is soft in demeanor but slightly cold at heart and Natalie is his opposite; it's a wonderful pairing. By the end, who can say what is what and what the future will hold? And therein lies, what I feel will be for many people, the make or break point of Up In The Air .

Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner's adaptation of Walter Kim's novel is masterful in its approach. There is a lot of heavy stuff going on in this film, yet the film itself manages to avoid being cheaply sentimental or emotionally manipulative. The scenes of Ryan and Natalie at work, firing people, contain montages of real Americans who have been "cast adrift" in the struggling economy. The impact of hearing and seeing real people vent their anger, fear and frustrations about the future hits with a sense of urgency, but also with a sense of real human dignity that is hard for Hollywood to mimic. Luckily, Reitman makes the wise choice of just laying things out there with a documentarian's eye - this is what is going on, this is what it's like out there right now - without preaching any gospel or trying to hang blame.

The two principal characters, Ryan and Natalie, are likewise drawn from the smart angle of two people sent out to deal with a mess that's been made - without worrying about who made it. Stripped of cliched moral or ethical concerns, the film opens up a very fresh examination about how we deal with turmoil, fear and uncertainty as people, both externally (like concern for our jobs), or internally, primarily where our emotions and emotional connections are concerned.

The principal cast in this film are excellent. George Clooney - in a brilliantly understated performance - never seems to shy away from the ever-present fact that aspects of his off-screen persona - his real-life attitudes toward marriage, for example - are being reflected in Ryan's character. I'll go so far as to say Clooney is brave in this film, for channeling so much of his public swagger and gusto through Ryan, even when it's being made clear during several of Up In The Air 's most gut-wrenching (and beautifully understated) moments that Ryan is a man who has been believing in his own B.S. for far too long.

Anna Kendrick has already sparked a raging buzz for her turn as hot-shot Natalie, and rightfully so. She spends just about all of her screen time trading quips with one of the most charming and engaging leading men currently on the planet, and never once comes off looking like the new girl at school (unless her character is supposed to). In fact, Kendrick is pretty much a scene-stealer throughout the film - impressive achievement when acting against the likes of Clooney.

Vera Farmiga is as elusive, mysterious and beautiful as ever in her role as Alex. Like her performance in The Departed , I never feel like I've gotten enough of her presence onscreen - but I'm certainly left feeling like I want to see more of her in the future. Up In The Air also boasts some great cameos, including standout moments from J.K. Simmons ( Juno ), Zach Galifianakas ( The Hangover ) and Danny McBride ( Tropic Thunder ).

Jason Reitman once again deserves his sure-to-be-forthcoming award nominations for this film. From the opening credits sequence, which features a gorgeous mashup of pilot's eye landscaping shots; to every richly colored scene; to the still, quiet and heavily weighted moments of human emotion, the direction here is tight and expertly controlled, yet still soft and subtle enough to make you forget you're watching something that has been so carefully, masterfully, crafted. From start to finish, I was totally on board for this flight.

The ending will be the dividing factor for this film, no doubt. I'm still wrestling with that ending and it is primarily why I can't give Up In The Air five stars. Without spoiling anything, I'll refer to what I said at the start: U p In The Air is a film whose entire point can be discerned from its title.

For those who like movies where good is rewarded, bad is punished and there is no such thing as moral or ethical gray - you will be upset by the end of this film, I won't lie to you. For those of you who are of the opinion that the journey of life is never as simple as flying from point A to point B without delays, inclement weather, or cancellations, then be happy in the knowledge that there is a beautiful, timely film out there talking directly to you.

Up In The Air

Up in the Air is a George Clooney starring comedy drama from director Jason Reitman. Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, who travels the country helping different companies with employment termination. Life is going smoothly for Ryan until he meets a woman, and one of his employees pitches the idea of cutting costs by firing people over video-conferencing.

Movie Reviews
4.5 star movies

Review: ‘Up in the Air;’ a Great George Clooney, a Somber HR Tale About Loneliness, Detachment, and Finding Your Way Back

The 2009 comedy/drama “Up in the Air,” starring George Clooney , somehow slipped under my radar. I recently watched the movie on Netflix , propelled to do so after seeing a clip from the movie posted on Facebook reels of the film’s protagonist, Ryan Bingham, walking a character ( J.K. Simmons ) through a firing. I thought the premise looked intriguing. Bingham’s a man—as Clooney narrates in the opening—that fires people for companies whose bosses don’t have the nerve. It can get ugly, depressing, and impersonal. But luckily for Bingham, loneliness and impersonality are what he craves. Or thought he craved. “Up in the Air” is the story of a man who spends his life creating his perfect, isolate life, and only in the closing credits questions if this decision in fact nurtures his soul.

A brief read of the synopsis of “Up in the Air”—the novel of the same name by Walter Kirn this movie is based on—seems to indicate the film, directed by Jason Reitman , departs significantly from the novel. And the film is indeed a comedy/drama, but leaning more towards drama. The first half, in fact, is mostly comedy. Bingham jets from city to city, firing people, and commenting—often with interior monologues—on the job itself. His boss ( Jason Bateman in a rare, heartless role) will remark that business is good for their company, (the fictional CTC ), because the economy is doing so bad.

There’s a Knack to Firing People

There’s not a lot of empathy floating around. It seems worse when CTC brings on a new, ambitious recruit, Natalie ( Anna Kendrick ). She wants to save the company money (and time) by having their team fire people remotely via video chats. That Natalie becomes a vital part of this cold movie’s turnaround is only one of its many surprises. The threat of working from CTC’s home office remotely—instead of traveling (Bingham has stated he’s traveled roughly 320 days last year)—is devastating to man with no home roots. He’s tasked with taking Natalie on the road one last time to learn the art of his job, which sets up the remainder of the film.

Clooney is in rare form here. I can imagine his assuredness of the single life, devoid of attachments, resonating with many travelers and jet-setters. Bingham idolizes material things: room accommodations, skipping airport lines with VIP status, and gold cards for airlines and rental agencies. Ironically, though, he doesn’t demand them. Bingham isn’t a snob, but a realist who loves a life he can predict. He’s long ago wedged a gap between he and his sisters Karen ( Amy Morton ) and Julie ( Melanie Lynskey )—the latter who is about to be married. He’s also not a typical “bachelor”-type, though he doesn’t believe in marriage, kids, or any of that. One gets the impression that when he meets Alex ( Vera Farmiga )—and the two start the type of fleeting romance that only hotels and airline miles can offer—that even this isn’t something that happens to Bingham all that often.

Reitman Directs Clooney, Kendrick, and Farmiga to Perfection

George Clooney and Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air.” (Photo: Paramount Pictures).

What works about “Up in the Air” is it takes an impersonal job and makes it about more than that. One could imagine a comedy, where Bingham loves the single, cynical life, and gets a kick out of firing people. But the more we follow him, the less we’re sure. We believe that he believes the lines he feeds fired employees, even if we know they don’t. Reitman’s film alleviates the stress with comic relief. But in the mark of a good filmmaker, that relief is never at the expense of fired employees, but at the ludicrousness of the whole ordeal. Watching “Up in the Air,” I was left with the impression its cold plot was not to be taken literally, but offered as a catalyst for a change that Ryan—should he be on the other side of the firing table—could one day find for himself.

The cast works well together, although the strongest are Clooney, Kendrick, Farmiga, and Morton. Clooney and Farmiga have wonderful chemistry together. Their romance works—not as the tortured impossibility he shared with Violante Placido in the excellent “The American” —but as a different kind of impossibility. Their time is filled with niceties and sweet moments (including a tour of his hometown at his sister’s wedding), and the film throws a curveball in the final act that kind of stung, and was hard to see coming.

However, the best moments are the chemistry between Clooney and Kendrick, the former a jaded company man, the latter a woman with a heart of gold who only thinks she wants to be heartless. She quips in one scene, “for the love of god, can I please fire the next one??” and her eagerness is met with Clooney’s dolor as she learns how hard firing someone truly is, and all the messy emotions that go along with it. The way “Up in the Air” builds their relationship is quick in pace, yet still slow and thoughtful. By the time Bingham leads an ill-prepared Natalie into a major company upheaval (there’s upwards of 30 names to be terminated), we see that Bingham cares for her in a fatherly way. The opposite’s also true, as Natalie lectures him on his solitude and the chance he could be blowing with Alex.

Indie Tones with Studio Reach

George Clooney and Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air.” (Photo: Paramount Pictures).

But under it all, “Up in the Air” has much to offer. It is the kind of meaningful production that comes from good inspiration and thoughtful performances. The first half is cynical and cold (mixed with comedy). And while the second half careens into predictability, it still leaves us with an odd warmth. The scenes with Bingham at home with his family feel small town. They could have fit into an independent feature with ease, not one with a $25M budget from a major studio. Kendrick and Farmiga are good, but Clooney is great. In an odd way, his greatness comes from his willingness to hold back and not simply play George Clooney. His swagger, clothes, and panache are familiar. But under it all—through subtle glances, still moments, family talks, and quiet growth—Clooney makes Bingham something more.

“Up in the Air” is not perfect, but it’s nonetheless great. Its ending leaves a bit up to the imagination, and presents yet another ‘fork-in-the-road’ type finale we’ve seen before. But by the end, having followed our protagonist for almost 2 hours, we want Ryan Bingham to be okay. That’s saying a lot for a film that starts as a practice in impersonality and corporate hatchet-men, but ends with a job interview and a reference letter that we allow to change our minds. Some of the takeaways are cliché, but nonetheless—Reitman, Clooney, et al. present a picture that is bittersweet and soulful, pulled out of the least likely material possible. If you get the chance, a film worthy to check out.

“Up in the Air” is available to stream on Netflix, or rent from various streaming services.

About Author

Mark is a New York based film critic and founder and Managing Editor of The Movie Buff. He has contributed film reviews to websites such as Movie-Blogger and Filmotomy, as well as local, independent print news medium. He is a lifelong lover of cinema, his favorite genres being drama, horror, and independent. Follow Mark @The_Movie_Buff on Twitter for all site news.

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Movie Review: Eddie Murphy returns to Beverly Hills, which is good enough for everyone

Judge Reinhold is in a truck barreling down the highway chased by angry cops when he turns to Eddie Murphy at the wheel and says something we’re all feeling, “God, I missed you, Axel.”

Judge Reinhold is in a truck barreling down the highway chased by angry cops when he turns to Eddie Murphy at the wheel and says something we're all feeling, “God, I missed you, Axel.”

We all really did, but we get the sarcastic and sweet Axel Foley once again in Netflix's “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” exactly 30 years since “1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III.” Is the new movie any good? Who cares?

The fourth outing brings back not just Murphy and Reinhold to the Axel Foley Cinematic Universe, but also long-time co-stars Paul Reiser, John Ashton and Bronson Pinchot. Kevin Bacon, Taylour Paige and Joseph Gordon-Levitt make their debuts.

The plot is pretty simple: Murphy's Foley is living his best cop life in Detroit — destroying things spectacularly — when he's asked to urgently return to Beverly Hills to help his estranged daughter, played with real grit by Taylour Paige. He then gets caught up in a murder case that has dirty cops and lets him make fun of snooty Beverly Hills.

Newcomers may be puzzled by the slow pace and '80s feel of Mark Molloy's directed sequel. It's not as funny as previous ones or ambitious in the way sequels for beloved franchises have gotten . But it has Murphy blowing stuff up and joking about it — all we need, really.

“Goddamn, Foley. Here we go again,” says Ashton, playing the exasperated chief of police, and that sentiment runs through the fourth entry. All you need to make your Gen X friends happy is a montage of Murphy behind the wheel while “The Heat Is On” by Glenn Frey plays. (“Neutron Dance” by The Pointer Sisters also returns).

Speaking of music, the filmmakers seem to want to break some sort of record for Most Theme Song Plays in a Single Movie, as the instrumental tune ”Axel F″ by Harold Faltermeyer is cued up, by one rough count, approximately 5,000 times.

There are also a lot of vehicles commandeered in “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” perhaps a nod to the advanced age of the core group. There's a snowplow, a helicopter, a golf cart and trucks, none of which are returned in mint condition.

The screenwriters — Will Beall, Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten — leave plenty of places for Murphy to improvise but also craft some surprisingly strong dialogue between Foley and his 32-year-old daughter, both nursing hurt feelings.

“You didn’t fight. I’m your daughter. The only thing you’ve ever fought for is your job,” she tells him. “Look, we both messed this thing up. All right? Let's just call it even.” Come for the explosions, stay for the heart-to-hearts.

Murphy uses Mary J. Blige's “Family Affair” and proves it. In one scene, Foley is arrested while trying to drive away in a comically small cop car. One of the traffic cops is played by Murphy’s daughter, Bria, one of his 10 kids. Another cop who later tases him is a son-in-law.

A lot has changed in the three decades since Foley was breaking rules and skulls and there's the feeling of a requiem as these aged men go into battle again. “They don’t want swashbucklers out there anymore. They want social workers,” Reiser's detective says.

There are jokes about Wesley Snipes, small yappy dogs and Spirit airlines, a scary shootout on Wilshire Boulevard, way too much synth played and an inside joke about the last sequel, a stinker: Gordon-Levitt goes through all of Foley's brushes with the California police and says “'94, not your finest hour.”

“Axel F” is not exactly Murphy's finest hour, either. But Murphy just saying “Jesus!” is funny. Let's hope we don't have to wait another 30 years for our next Axel Foley fix. God, we've missed him.

“Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F," a Netflix release that starts streaming Wednesday, is rated R for “language throughout, violence and brief drug use.” Running time: 117 minutes. Two stars out of four.

MPAA definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Online: https://www.netflix.com/title/81076856

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

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The best laptops we've tested and reviewed: Look for these models during Prime Day

a 15-inch m3 apple macbook air sitting on a wooden table in starbucks

Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3)

woman's hand touching the screen of an hp spectre x360 14 in tent mode

HP Spectre x360 14 (2024)

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

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Razer Blade 14 (2024)

HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024)

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Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3)

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Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2

Framework Laptop 13

Table of contents.

There's no such thing as a universal best laptop . Whether a laptop works well for you — and there could be several that fit the bill— is a largely subjective decision that comes down to your primary use cases, your preferred operating system, and your budget .

This is an annoying fact of life for both laptop shoppers and those of us doling out "best laptop" recommendations, since we can't make custom judgment calls for everyone in need of a new machine . (I would love to, but I've got a thing after this.) However, after spending countless hours reviewing popular laptops, we can confidently point you in the right direction of the best laptops that stand out for meeting important, impartial standards for performance and build quality.

We think these laptops will serve most people well, and at the very least, we think they can be useful archetypes within different categories of computers (from MacBooks to Windows PCs , budget laptops , gaming laptops , and Chromebooks ). Don't start from square one if you don't have to, you know?

Take advantage of Prime Day pricing and competitor sales

If you're particularly hung up on the "budget" part of laptop shopping, know that mid-summer is one of the best times to buy a laptop . Partly, that's because of ongoing back-to-school discounts — even the Apple Store partakes — but it's also due to the hubbub surrounding Prime Day , Amazon's flagship summer sale for Prime members. (You can sign up for a free 30-day trial if you don't want to commit to a paid membership.) This year's festivities are scheduled for July 16 and 17.

Normally slim on laptop deals, Amazon peppers its listings with better-than-usual discounts while Prime Day runs its course, giving extra attention to MacBooks and Chromebooks . Many models fall to new or year-round lows that we don't normally see outside of Black Friday .

Perhaps more importantly, Prime Day also spurs other tech retailers like Best Buy into running their own sales with competitive pricing that matches or beats Amazon's, giving diligent shoppers more opportunities to save. Cross-checking these offers will be your best line of defense against overpaying, but if you don't want to sift through the sea of sales yourself, we'll also be tracking the top Prime Day laptop deals ourselves.

Prime Day 2024 is coming: 100+ of the best early deals you can already shop
Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner — here's how to find the best deals
A few popular MacBook models are already discounted ahead of Prime Day
Prime Day Chromebook deals are already going strong — check out our top picks
What not to buy on Prime Day, from third-party scams to Ring cams

Need help picking a laptop? Read on for Mashable's hands-on tested guide to the best laptops of 2024.

FYI: We've listed the pricing and specs of our testing units, which may not apply to each laptop's base model.

Best deals on laptops this week

Dell Inspiron 15 3520 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6" Laptop — $499.99 (List Price $699.99)

Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Intel 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16" 2-in-1 Laptop — $774.99 (List Price $1049.99)

HP Victus Ryzen 7 RTX 4070 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16.1" Laptop — $999.99 (List Price $1399.99)

Dell Inspiron 16 5640 Intel 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Touch Laptop — $649.99 (List Price $949.99)

LG Gram 16 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16" Touch Laptop — $999.99 (List Price $1299.99)

Dell XPS 13 9340 Intel Ultra 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 13.4" Laptop — $1,149.00 (List Price $1399.00)

Best MacBook

Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M3).

Who it's for:

Apple's older M2 MacBook Air remains an excellent laptop despite losing its " best Macbook " title, especially now that its base configuration is only $999. (The arrival of the M3 version prompted a permanent $100 price drop.) But if you're not on a strict budget, the brand-new M3 model is the MacBook most people should buy in 2024. That includes "creatives, professionals, and students who need robust performance that can handle their multifaceted workflows," wrote Mashable tech editor Kim Gedeon.

Why we picked this:

The new 15-inch MacBook Air deserves way more fanfare than Apple gave it at launch. (Seriously? Just a blog post ?) Its M3 chip was about 20 percent faster than the previous-generation M2 chip in our testing, and it brings new support for WiFi 6E as well as two external displays — though its lid has to stay closed when you use it that way. Plus, the midnight finish now comes with an anodization seal to avoid picking up fingerprints.

The M3 MacBook Air is otherwise a carbon copy of its predecessor , but that's actually a plus: Apple didn't need to change anything about its vibrant display, 1080p webcam, rich speakers, or snappy Magic Keyboard. (It could still use more ports and start with a bit more RAM, though.) Its price has also carried over from the M2 era. As a complete package, it's a decidedly "worthy refresh" that continues the MacBook Air line's Mashable Choice Award winning streak, Gedeon said.

Note that the M3 MacBook Air also comes in a 13-inch size that starts at $1,099; it has two fewer speakers (four instead of six).

Supports WiFi 6E
Supports two external displays
Great display, webcam, speakers, and keyboard
Midnight finish is less prone to fingerprints
Also available in 13-inch configuration
Dual-display support requires a closed lid
Could still use more ports
Processor: Apple M3
Graphics processor: Apple M3
Storage: 512GB SSD
Screen: 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display
Resolution: 2880 x 1864
Brightness (rated): 500 nits
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Touchscreen: No
Webcam: Yes (1080p FaceTime HD)
Ports: Two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 charging port
Battery life (tested): 10 hours and 52 minutes
Backlit keyboard: Yes
Weight: 3.3 pounds

Best Windows laptop

Read Mashable's full review of the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024).

The new HP Spectre x360 14 is almost everything a Windows loyalist could want in a laptop (or a tablet, for that matter — it's a 2-in-1). It's powerful, versatile, long-lasting, and great at making you look good on Zoom meetings. The included stylus cements its status as a fantastic all-in-one buy.

The Spectre x360 14 stunts on all of the other Windows laptops we've tried. There's a zippy new Intel Core Ultra processor with at least 16GB of RAM inside, and our Ultra 7 155H testing unit lasted more than 11 hours on a single charge. (If its $1,869.99 price tag gives you sticker shock, know that the base configuration goes for under $1,500.) It has a 120Hz OLED touchscreen display with a generous 16:10 aspect ratio, which you can flip open on its hinge to switch between laptop, tablet, and tent modes. Its large touchpad offers "the perfect balance of smoothness and resistance," said Gedeon, while its keyboard is straight-up "addictive." Its color-accurate, wide-angle 9MP webcam is the icing on the cake.

Notably, the Spectre x360 14 also comes with its own stylus — the $76.99 HP Rechargeable MPP 2.0 Tilt Pen , which attaches to it magnetically — for drawing and note-taking.

These were all big factors in this machine's Mashable Choice distinction — and we think they're enough to make anyone forget about its fingerprint-loving finish, weirdly crowded port setup, and heavy (for a convertible) frame.

Latest Intel Core Ultra processor
Gorgeous OLED touchscreen display
Solid battery life
Fantastic keyboard
Amazing webcam
Comes with a stylus
Ports are in weird spots
A little heavy for a 2-in-1
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Graphics processor: Intel Arc Graphics
Storage: 2TB
Screen: 14-inch 2.8K OLED multitouch display
Resolution: 2880 x 1800
Refresh rate: 120Hz
Touchscreen: Yes
Webcam: Yes (2160p)
Ports: Two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, USB-A port, headphone jack
Battery life (tested): 11 hours and 27 minutes
Weight: 3.19 pounds

Best budget laptop

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.

It may not have the most up-to-date internals, but Microsoft's Surface Laptop Go 3 is "ideal for students and busy-bee travelers in need of a portable notebook" with major style points, wrote Gedeon. If you can, try to find it on sale for at least $100 off. (Fortunately, that happens often at Amazon and Best Buy .)

Can you fall in love with a laptop based on its keyboard alone? It happened to Gedeon, who called the Surface Laptop Go 3's keyboard "one of the best" she's ever tested. (In her book, the only keyboard that rivals it is that of the HP Spectre x360 14 .) It's the cherry on top of its excellent and ultra-portable design, which has the sort of lightweight, premium feel you'd expect from a higher-end machine. "[It] should be called 'Windows Air,'" said Gedeon.

The specs under the Surface Laptop Go 3's hood are decidedly more underwhelming, mostly because they're largely unchanged from those in 2022's Surface Laptop Go 2 , our previous top budget pick (including the same dim touchscreen display and 720p camera). It is powered by a newer 12th-generation Intel Core CPU, but that's now two generations removed in 2024. And while its base model does have double the storage space and memory of the previous model, it's also more expensive.

Incredible keyboard
Lightweight
Built-in fingerprint reader
Surprisingly nice build quality
Outdated CPU
Minimal upgrades from its predecessor
Thick bezels
Non-backlit keyboard
Processor: Intel Core i5-1235U
Graphics processor: Intel Iris Xe
Storage: 256GB
Screen: 12.4-inch PixelSense display
Resolution: 1536 x 1024
Brightness (rated): 320 nits
Webcam: Yes (720p)
Ports: USB-C port, USB-A port, headphone jack, Surface Connect port
Battery life (tested): Seven hours and 51 minutes
Backlit keyboard: No
Weight: 2.49 pounds

Best gaming laptop

If you're in the market for a gaming laptop that's basically an ultraportable rig, look no further than the Razer Blade 14 — but be prepared to pay up. This would be a good one to bookmark for Prime Day and Black Friday .

The latest Razer Blade 14 is a quiet and handsome 14-inch gaming laptop that starts at $2,199; our upgraded review unit came in at an excruciating $2,699.99. Wait, don't go: It justifies that sticker price with premium specs, including a brawny new AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor that can plow through AAA titles and content creation with finesse. (It has a dedicated neural processing unit, or NPU, for AI tasks.) That CPU is joined by a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series GPU; a 240Hz display for silky-smooth gameplay; and an RGB keyboard you can customize via its free Razer Synapse software. This thing is a beast — and you probably couldn't tell just by looking at it. At only 0.71 inches thin and 4.05 pounds, it's one of the most compact gaming laptops on the market.

The Razer Blade 14 has another important thing working for it, which is its battery life : It clocked in at four hours of gaming and over 10 hours of regular use in our testing. Those numbers aren't earth-shattering, but they're definitely above average in both respects, so the "on-the-go usefulness" value is there. This isn't the run-of-the-mill PC gaming machine that will shackle you to an outlet.

Latest AMD Ryzen 9 CPU with improved AI performance
Stunning 240Hz display
Keyboard has customizable RGB lighting
Runs cool and quiet
Super thin and relatively lightweight
Great battery life for a gaming laptop (plus fast charging)
Touchpad can be a little hard to press
Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
Graphics processor: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
Storage: 1TB SSD
Screen: 14-inch display
Resolution: 2560 x 1600
Refresh rate: Up to 240Hz
Webcam: Yes (1080p with shutter)
Ports: Two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, headphone jack, HDMI port
Battery life (tested): 10 hours and 30 minutes
Backlit keyboard: Yes (Chroma RGB)
Weight: 4.05 pounds
Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner — here's how to find the best deals
Prime Day Chromebook deals are already going strong — check out our top picks

Best Chromebook

Read Mashable's full review of the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch.

HP's Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is a low-cost, large-screened laptop for those who work in the Google productivity ecosystem and watch a lot of YouTube in their free time. If you like numpads, all the better.

This HP Chromebook Plus is helmed by a huge, vibrant display that blew me away when I reviewed it: "The colors are intense, with good contrast and rich blacks, and an anti-reflective panel preserves that quality at most viewing angles," to quote my write-up. I loved using it for movie-watching and light gaming (via Xbox Game Pass ). On the clock, it was fast enough to handle my daily workflow, which involves a lot of Gmailing and Google Meeting, though its battery life disappointingly drained before the end of my eight-hour shift. I also found it hard to listen to anything playing on it while naked-eared : Its speakers stink.

As one of eight new Chromebook Plus devices, this puppy comes with some interesting new software extras like File Sync, AI-powered webcam settings, and support for some multimedia tools (including Google Magic Eraser and Adobe Express). None of them felt revolutionary in my testing, but they're decent value-adds for such a cheap machine.

Large and colorful anti-glare display
Solid performance for the price
Stylish metallic finish
Useful 'Plus' software features
Numeric keypad
Made of plastic; easily scratched
Touchpad and keyboard take some getting used to
Unimpressive webcam
Muffled speakers
Poor battery life
Processor: Intel Core i3-N305
Graphics processor: Intel UHD
Storage: 128GB UFS
Screen: 15.6-inch anti-glare display
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Brightness: 250 nits
Ports: Two USB-C 3.0 ports, one USB-A 3.0 port, SD card slot, headphone jack
Battery life (tested): Seven hours and 11 minutes
Weight: 3.81 pounds

Best dual-display laptop

Read Mashable's full review of the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024).

Asus' latest Zenbook Duo is the tops for zealous multitaskers who need more screen real estate than a standard laptop can provide, but don't want to haul around a separate monitor. It'll also appeal to those who simply appreciate a good, fair value: It looks (and performs) like a machine that costs more than $1,500, a number that includes useful accessories to boot.

The Mashable Choice Award-winning Zenbook Duo features two bright OLED displays stacked on top of one another, a detachable Bluetooth keyboard that works with both of them, and a built-in kickstand that allows it to shift into different positions. This design could feel suuuper gimmicky if it wasn't executed smartly, but Asus nailed it — and for well under $2,000. "[Single]-display laptops are now cancelled," said reviewer Kim Gedeon, who confessed to feeling "spoiled" after testing this one in her everyday workflow. "How can I work on my MacBook Air, my daily driver, without missing the masterful app-juggling capabilities of the Zenbook Duo?"

Speaking of MacBook Airs: The Zenbook Duo comes with a new Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, which was as swift as Apple's M2 chipset in testing. (That's the one powering our current favorite "budget" MacBook .) Its quiet speakers and dull webcam won't wow anyone who's defecting from Team Apple to Team Windows, but those are minor gripes in the grand scheme of things. For productivity pros, the Zenbook Duo shines where it matters most: screens, speed, and selling price.

Beautiful displays
Excellent for multitasking
Can be used in several different modes
Decent battery life
Clicky detachable keyboard
Includes stylus and built-in kickstand
Quiet audio
Mediocre webcam
Graphics processor: Intel Arc
Strorage: 1TB SSD
Screen: Dual 14-inch Lumina OLED displays
Resolution: 1920 x 1200 per screen
Brightness (rated): 500 nits per screen
Refresh rate: 60Hz per screen
Touchscreen: Yes (both)
Webcam: Yes (1080p)
Ports: Two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB-A port, headphone jack, HDMI 2.1 port
Battery life (tested): 8 hours and 52 minutes
Weight: 3.7 pounds with keyboard; 2.98 pounds without keyboard

Best laptop for photo and video editing

Read Mashable's full review of the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M3). Read our deep dive into the differences between the M3 MacBook Pro and the M3 MacBook Air while you're at it, too.

The M3 Apple MacBook Pro is probably overkill for casual users, and it can get expensive fast once you start adding more memory. That said, it's a great investment for creative professionals who run intense apps and software on a regular basis.

The M3 chipset in the current MacBook Pro "translates to an uptick in performance" over the previous M2 generation, wrote Gedeon, "whether you're diving into photo retouching, video editing, [or] other tasks." Its 10-core GPU features hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing so that games can render more realistic-looking lighting effects. And it's incredibly power-efficient: We got over 16 hours of battery life out of it. (That makes it the longest-lasting laptop we've tried.)

On the outside, you're looking at a pretty standard MacBook Pro — albeit one with a bright and gorgeous 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display; that's Apple-speak for a mini-LED screen with ProMotion technology, aka a 120Hz refresh rate. Gedeon called the accompanying speakers "immaculate," adding: "I see why the MacBook Pro is highly recommended for music producers, podcast hosts, and other audio-focused professionals." There's also a good array of ports built into its base, including an HDMI port and an SDXC card slot.

We do think Apple should add more RAM and a USB-A port the next time it revisits the MacBook Pro, but this was another Mashable Choice Award shoo-in.

Amazing speakers
Stellar battery life
Excellent build quality
120Hz refresh rate
Great backlit Magic Keyboard
Starts with 512GB of storage
Base model could use more RAM
No USB-A port
Screen: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display
Resolution: 3024 x 1964
Brightness (rated): 600 nits SDR; 1000 nits XDR; 1600 nits HDR
Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz
Ports: Two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 charging port
Battery life (tested): 16 hours and 23 minutes
Weight: 3.4 pounds

Best laptop for creative pros

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a machine that's begging to be pushed to its creative limits, and as such, deep-pocketed professional artists are its target audience. Gedeon also "[recommended] this laptop for differently abled users who could take full advantage of [its] adaptive touch trackpad feature."

The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is, as its name suggests, a laptop. But the unique pull-forward design of its 120Hz, 14.4-inch touchscreen display means it can also "transform into a digital easel and a tablet," said Gedeon, "[making] it an artist's playground." Just like its predecessor from 2021, it's an especially versatile device for content creation — though it still doesn't come bundled with a stylus, which feels like a silly omission on Microsoft's part. (It does have built-in storage and charging for the Surface Slim Pen 2 , at least.)

Speaking of: While the original Surface Laptop Studio was a great laptop, it was pretty outdated by the time its successor arrived in October 2023. This second iteration fortunately features a slew of upgrades like 13th-gen Intel Core H-Series CPUs, optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs, and an NPU. (The latter adds "Windows Studio Effects" to its 1080p webcam, including blur and eye contact features.) Microsoft also equipped it with a much-needed wider variety of ports and a silky-smooth haptic touchpad with an adaptive touch mode for users with limited mobility. It is quite a bit heavier than its predecessor, so it'll probably pass on plein air doodling sessions in favor of staying parked on a desk.

Unique and versatile pull-forward design
Superb build quality
Haptic touchpad with adaptive touch mode
Built-in Surface Slim Pen 2 storage and charging
Surface Slim Pen 2 sold separately
Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H
Graphics processor: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
Storage: T1B SSD
Screen: 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow Display
Resolution: 2400 x 1600 
Brightness (rated): 500 nits SDR; 650 nits HDR
Ports: Two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB-A port, Surface Connect charging port, headphone jack, MicroSDXC card reader
Battery life (tested): Seven hours and 46 minutes
Weight: 4.18 pounds

Best repairable laptop

Note: We'll soon review the next-gen Framework Laptop 16. Preorders for it are now live .

Read Mashable's review of the Framework Laptop (2021).

DIYers, tinkerers, and anyone sick of buying a new laptop every few years will consider the Framework Laptop a sweet buy (or a sweet relief). We've also pegged it as a good budget laptop , as its long-term value is unrivaled.

Repairability doesn't seem like a big deal until your MacBook's battery conks out and you have to haul it into the Genius Bar to replace the entire bottom half of the machine. The Framework Laptop 13 is the current version of a previous Mashable Choice Award-winning device that's specifically designed to be fixable at home, even if you have zero prior repair experience, with replaceable CPUs, memory, storage, keyboards, displays, and even expansion cards for ports. What's more, these components can all be individually upgraded whenever Framework introduces new ones — it doesn't get more future-proof than that.

The pre-built, ready-to-use Framework Laptop 13 features a 13.5-inch matte display, improved hinges, and a better battery life than the previous iterations, and it starts with a 13th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage space, and Windows 11 Home. You can also opt for the DIY Edition , which can be customized with the specs (even operating system) of your choosing.

Easy to customize (even for newbies)
Super upgradable/future-proof
Sleek and lightweight metal design
Can get expensive fast if you go the build-from-scratch route
Processor: Intel Core i5-1340P
Screen: 13.5-inch matte display
Resolution: 2256 x 1504
Brightness (rated): 400 nits
Ports: Four user-selectable expansion cards
Battery life: Up to 11 hours
Weight: 2.86 pounds

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Mashable staff subjected most of the laptops on this list to varying degrees of hands-on testing (save for the Framework Laptop 13 — we tried a previous version ). At minimum, this involved inspecting their build quality and using them for a variety of real-world tasks for several weeks at a time. This included working in different kinds of documents, checking emails, watching videos, taking photos on their webcams, participating in video calls, listening to music (via Spotify), playing games (if possible), and experimenting with any unique software features or use cases they claimed to support.

Additionally, most of the laptops featured here were made to run industry-standard benchmark software. We recently started implementing these benchmarks in our testing, and you can expect to see them in all of our new laptop reviews going forward. (The exceptions were the Framework Laptop 13 and the Razer Blade 14; we tried the latter before deciding on these benchmarks.)

Performance benchmarks

We evaluate a laptop's overall performance by running the appropriate version of Primate Labs' Geekbench 6 (macOS for MacBooks, Windows for Windows laptops, and Android for Chromebooks). This test measures CPU performance in a handful of common tasks, and we record the resulting multi-core score. The higher the score, the better.

Battery life benchmarks

One way we assess the stamina of MacBooks and Windows laptops is by putting them through UL Solutions' PCMark 10 battery life stress test. (The former run it via Parallels Desktop , since there's not a native macOS version of PCMark 10.) This test runs a series of apps and functions until a laptop conks out. We look to see about 11 to 12 hours of battery life in the MacBooks we test, for reference, with 15-plus hours being exceptional, and nine to ten hours in the Windows laptops we review, with 12-plus hours being ideal.

For Chromebooks, the respective portion of Principled Technologies' CrXPRT 2 benchmark is our go-to battery life test. Eight hours is our baseline, but nine to ten hours is best.

After evaluating a laptop's benchmark testing results, we make our final recommendations based on whether we think they offer a good overall value for the money. A too-expensive laptop will sometimes get a pass if we think it looks and works so great that it's worth the trouble of finding it on sale (one example being, again, the Razer Blade 14).

Finally, it should be noted that these aren't the only laptops we've tried — we're constantly testing and assessing new models across different categories, and many don't make the final cut. With that in mind, you can expect this guide to evolve on a pretty continuous basis. We're always on the lookout for new top pick contenders.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should i spend on a new laptop.

Ultimately, your budget should reflect your laptop's primary use case(s) and your preferred operating system. Here's what you can expect at different price ranges:

Laptops that cost $300 to $600 are budget Windows notebooks and Chromebooks reserved for word processing, web browsing, and email sending. Models on the lower end of this price range tend to be clunkers with pokey Intel Celeron N Series CPUs and eMMC storage; spending a little extra can get you a sleeker machine with a better entry-level processor, more battery life, SSD storage, and a backlit keyboard.

Laptops that cost $600 to $1,000 are mostly Windows models and high-end Chromebooks with crisper displays and mid-range CPUs that are good for schoolwork, streaming, and casual gaming.

Laptops priced at $1,000 to $1,500 are peppy Windows ultrabooks, MacBooks, and gaming laptops with plenty of storage space, bright, pretty displays, enough power for light photo and video editing, and great graphics.

Laptops that cost more than $1,500 are beautiful, beefy, and blazing-fast MacBooks Pros and Windows desktop replacements that can handle professional content creation and intense gaming.

If you want to stretch your budget beyond these usual constraints, bookmark our guide to the best laptop deals across major retailers and tech manufacturers: We update it biweekly with fresh discounts.

What size laptop should I be looking for?

If you commute daily or travel often, a lightweight, slim, and compact laptop in the 11- to 13-inch range will serve you best. If you're a huge movie buff, a gamer, or a creator who doesn't normally take their laptop on the road with them, you can bulk up to a 15- to 17-inch model with heft that affords it more power.

Is a cheap laptop worth it?

You get what you pay for, but some brands' budget laptops can take you pretty far these days, and certain use cases don't necessitate the latest or most powerful specs. For more intel, check out our guides to the best cheap laptops and the best budget laptops under $500 .

Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons .

Haley received a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and honed her sifting and winnowing skills at The Daily Cardinal . She previously covered politics for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, investigated exotic pet ownership for Wisconsin Watch , and blogged for some of your favorite reality stars.

In her free time, Haley enjoys playing video games, drawing, taking walks on Lake Michigan, and spending time with her parrot (Melon) and dog (Pierogi). She really, really wants to get back into horseback riding. You can follow her on X at @haleyhenschel or reach her via email at [email protected] .

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Chiefs Suamataia Likely Starting LT, Morris's Role up in the Air

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UPSC CAPF Results 2024: Bihar’s Aditya Mohan Secures AIR 29 On 2nd Attempt

Curated By : Education and Careers Desk

Local News Desk

Last Updated: July 08, 2024, 18:31 IST

Delhi, India

Aditya Mohan completed BTech Electrical from VIT Vellore.

Aditya Mohan has become an Assistant Commandant in his second attempt.

The Union Public Service Examination (UPSC) has declared the final results of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Examination, 2024. A total of 312 candidates have been recommended by the commission for the appointment. Among them, Aditya Mohan from Muzaffarpur, Bihar has successfully cracked the exam in his second attempt to become an Assistant Commandant. His family is on cloud nine after the results. Aditya Mohan secured All India Rank 29 in the exam. Let’s take a look at his success story.

Aditya Mohan, a resident of Chhata Chowk in the city, never let his failure in the first attempt stop him from trying again. He overcame the shortcomings of the failed attempt and succeeded in securing a job with a uniform this year. While talking to Local18, Aditya said that self-study along with patience and hard work has played a role in his success. His grandfather was a DSP and inspired by him, Aditya left his job as an engineer and started preparing for UPSC.

On his first attempt, he cracked the written exam but couldn’t clear the physical stage. He completed his primary education from Prabhat Tara School and boards from Sunshine School. After this, he went to VIT Vellore to pursue engineering. He secured a job on the campus after acquiring a degree from BTech in Electrical.

He worked in Bangalore for a few days but he wanted to prepare for UPSC. He left his job and came home to prepare for UPSC and made his first attempt two years ago. After failing, he continued his preparation for the second time. The interview was held on June 3. Aditya’s father Amar Mohan Prasad is retired from Arwal from the post of DM of SFC , while his mother Priyanka Mohan is a housewife. His grandfather Krishna Mohan Prasad Sinha was also a DSP. Aditya said that he prepared while staying in Muzaffarpur.

Father Mohan Prasad Sinha told Local 18 that Aditya’s success has increased his and the society’s prestige. He is very proud of his son. “He has been very bright in his studies and we have all supported him completely,” said Mohan Prasad Sinha. Mother Priyanka Mohan said that Aditya used to be a little naughty in childhood but he has worked hard on his studies.

Stay ahead with all the exam results updates on News18 Website .

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Up in the Air movie review & film summary (2009)
When corporations need to downsize quickly but hate the mess, he flies in and breaks the news to the new former employees. In hard times, his business is great. This isn't a comedy. If it were, it would be hard to laugh in these last days of 2009. Nor is it a tragedy. It's an observant look at how a man does a job.
Up in the Air (2009)
Permalink. 9/10. Incredible comedy drama. masonsaul 27 March 2019. Up in the Air has great performances from George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick with a great supporting cast. It also has a good combination of emotion, comedy and drama which helps overcome the predictable elements in the third act.
Up in the Air (2009)
Page 1 of 6, 11 total items. 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 ...
'Up in the Air' Review: Movie (2009)
September 6, 2009 5:02pm. 'Up in the Air' Dale Robinette. TELLURIDE, Colo. — Cynicism and sentiment have melded magically in movies by some of the best American directors, from Preston Sturges ...
Up in the Air
Up in the Air fails because Reitman crams too many stories and situations into one picture. Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 12, 2019. Mattie Lucas The Dispatch (Lexington, NC) The film ...
George Clooney and Vera Farmiga as High Fliers
Directed by Jason Reitman. Drama, Romance. R. 1h 49m. By Manohla Dargis. Dec. 3, 2009. For most people there's no joy in sucking down recycled oxygen while hurtling above the clouds. The free ...
Up in the Air (2009)
Up in the Air: Directed by Jason Reitman. With George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman. Ryan's job is to travel around the country firing off people. When his boss hires Natalie, who proposes firing people via video conference, he tries to convince her that her method is a mistake.
Up in the Air
Universal Acclaim Based on 36 Critic Reviews. 83. 89% Positive 32 Reviews. 11% Mixed 4 Reviews. 0% Negative 0 Reviews. All Reviews; ... yet Up in the Air does so brilliantly, with wit and humanity. Read More By Claudia Puig FULL REVIEW. User Reviews User Reviews View All. ... Up in the Air was one of the best movies of 2009. George Clooney gave ...
Up in the Air
Up in the Air Reviews. (Clooney and Farmiga) keep the wit and chemistry bouncing back and forth like a modern-day Tracy and Hepburn, if you can picture Hepburn sashaying across a hotel room ...
Up in the Air (2009 film)
Up in the Air is a 2009 American comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman.It was written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner, based on the 2001 novel Up in the Air by Walter Kirn.The story is centered on traveling corporate "downsizer" Ryan Bingham (George Clooney).Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Bateman also star. Up in the Air was primarily filmed in St. Louis with additional scenes shot ...
Up in the Air
Movie Review. Ryan Bingham's occupation is to relieve people of theirs. He spends 322 days on the road, living out of a carry-on bag and firing employees for corporate honchos who are too gutless to do it themselves. ... And his solitary, Up in the Air existence is the only thing he loves. It's delightfully devoid of commitment, affection ...
Up in the Air (2009) Movie Review
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a corporate axman, he comes in a fires people when the managers are too afraid to do it themselves. The nature of his work requires a lot of flying, short lived meetings in transit zones and he absolutely loves it, and he has a certain goal in mind.
Movie Review: Up in the Air (2009)
Stay Away Don't Bother Seen Better Not Bad See It. Don't be fooled by the trailers for Up in the Air. It may seem like a formulaic romantic comedy. It's not. Not by a long shot. Jason Reitman, following up his Juno breakthrough, has put together a finely developed and many times amusing story about choices — both personal and professional ...
Up in the Air
Jason Reitman's Up in the Air appears staid and bluish, as reserved formally as a deep psychological drama. The atmosphere of cold hotel lobbies and shoddy office buildings certainly doesn't welcome an audience. But George Clooney does. He plays Bingham, a nomadic "career transition counselor" who prides himself on ushering people into ...
Up in the Air Movie Review
age 15+. Not worth the effort. Not a feel-good movie. What a waste of time. A shallow film about a guy who realizes that his life is empty, but then does nothing to change it. Leaves you disappointed with the overall message that life is pointless, but it's not as bad when you have someone to share it with.
Up in the Air (2009)
Natalie is unimpressed, and declares that if she had those miles, she'd show up at the airport, pick a place, and go. That evening, in bed, Ryan looks at his sister's wedding invitation. He receives text messages from Alex that quickly become sexually suggestive. He responds, smiles, and turns out the light.
Up in the Air
Check out the exclusive TV Guide movie review and see our movie rating for Up in the Air. ... Up in the Air Reviews. 83 Metascore; 2009; 1 hr 49 mins Drama, Comedy R
Up in the Air (2009) is surprisingly excellent film! : r/movies
All of the subplots are so awesome. Clooney and his quest to be detached from everything in his life, Kendrick doing her best to rise the corporate ladder all the while totally ignorant of what it is that she is really doing. Clooney falling for Farmiga, the crazy awesome wedding in Clooney's family.
Movie Review: "Up in the Air"
Released just in time for the Academy Awards, the Blu-ray release of "Up in the Air" features a small but solid collection of extras. The commentary with director/co-writer Jason Reitman, director of photography Eric Steelberg, and first assistant director Jason Blumenfeld is incredibly informative, with Reitman leading a lively discussion ...
Up In The Air Review
Screen Rant's Kofi Outlaw reviews Up In The Air. Up In The Air is a film whose entire point can be discerned from its title. This new offering from Juno director Jason Reitman stars George Clooney as a man whose existence involves traveling the country airport to airport, essentially living "above" all that life presses upon the rest of us stuck below. ...
REVIEW
The 2009 comedy/drama "Up in the Air," starring George Clooney, somehow slipped under my radar.I recently watched the movie on Netflix, propelled to do so after seeing a clip from the movie posted on Facebook reels of the film's protagonist, Ryan Bingham, walking a character (J.K. Simmons) through a firing.I thought the premise looked intriguing.
UP IN THE AIR
The Family and Christian Guide to Movie Reviews and Entertainment News. ... UP IN THE AIR is getting a lot of critical buzz, perhaps because it shows the cruelty of the corporate structure firing lifetime employees. Perhaps because people realize that Ryan's egocentric, hedonistic lifestyle is a disaster. ...
Movie Review: Eddie Murphy returns to Beverly Hills, which is good
Judge Reinhold is in a truck barreling down the highway chased by angry cops when he turns to Eddie Murphy at the wheel and says something we're all feeling, "God, I missed you, Axel."
Up in the Air
Mantan Moreland. Jeff Jefferson. Clyde Dilson. Marty. Page 1 of 6, 11 total items. In Theaters At Home TV Shows. Advertise With Us. An aspiring young comic looking for his big break on the radio ...
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Best deals on laptops this week. Dell Inspiron 15 3520 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6" Laptop — $499.99 (List Price $699.99) . Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Intel 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16" 2-in-1 Laptop ...
Chiefs Suamataia Likely Starting LT, Morris's Role up in the Air
IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of streaming providers.
UPSC CAPF Results 2024: Bihar's Aditya Mohan Secures AIR 29 ...
UP Police Seize Pulses Worth Rs 6 Lakh in Amethi; Father-Son Duo, Local Businessman Arrested. Dhanush's Captain Miller Wins Best Foreign Language Movie At UK National Film Awards. Ram Gopal Varma Reviews Director Nikhil Bhatt's Kill: 'You Ushered In A New Era' ...

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