Recommendation: A must-watch-once movie.
The Base:
George Clooney is a Firing agent who is on the move. Ryan Bingham is the man who virtually lives up in flights. He is tuned to move slickly through the barricades of check-in's and check-out's of almost all the Airports in America. Ergo, he believes in travelling light, both in his professional and personal life also. A man who believes that commitment is a baggage that can keep you grounded.
The Reel:
The movie takes the above plot and starts to finely depict the finer nuances of Ryan. His appearances as a Motivational speaker, his escapade with Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga of "The Departed " fame), his encounter with a fresh Cornell MBA, Natalie Keener, his interviews with the people he is about to fire and his relationship with his 2 sisters are some of the other parts of his life other than adding miles to his flier card.
The Real:
Though the character of Ryan Bingham doesn't seem to come out well etched, Clooney does a bang-up job of complimenting it. His cool, suave mannerism makes him perfect for the role of a guy for him carrying a heavy back-up is sheer waste of time.
Vera Farmiga does a good job to play Alex who is an alter-ego to Ryan. Her character seems a little mysterious for the whole part of the movie. And after the revelation you come to think what was she even doing with Ryan. Look for the last phone coversation they have.
Natalie Keener ostensibly plays a role of a calculating and meticulous professional who is lands in a situation where she needs to work with Ryan very closely. Rather squeaky in nature, the character doesn't give a feel of someone who might top her class at Cornell.
Apart of these three characters nobody pushes the movie forward. They just come along.
The Summary:
I feel the movie is good to watch for once at least. It doesn't have a strong storyline and a rather restrictive base but a combination of actors and characters make it worthwhile to watch. The movie silently carves out the human angles of various aspects of life for eg. travel, firing, marriage etc. In the end it drives home the need of a co-pilot in every aircraft.
My Favorite:
After winning the reward for 10 Million miles, Ryan is asked by the captain, "Where are you from." Ryan says, "I am from here."
