Air (2023 film)

 

Directed and co-starring Ben Affleck and written by Alex Convery, Air is the story about the origin of the Air Jordan shoe line by Nike and how an employee from Nike makes a discovery about the then-unknown Michael Jordan and to build a shoe line around him. The film is about the creation of a shoe line that wouldn’t just save Nike from shutting down but create something that would play a key role in the world of popular culture. Also starring Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Air is a riveting and exhilarating film from Ben Affleck.

Set in 1984, the film follows talent scout Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) who works for Nike’s basketball division as it is on the verge of shutting down due to low sales where he decides to bet on an idea in the hope of saving the division by building a shoe line for a future NBA prospect in Michael Jordan. It is a film that is about the creation of the Air Jordan shoe line and its origins as well as the impact it would have on Nike at a time when they were falling behind other competitive rivals in Converse and Adidas as Nike’s CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) was forced to lay off people ever since the company has gone public. The film’s screenplay by Alex Convery, with un-credited contributions from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, is largely straightforward in its narrative as it follows Vaccaro who is tasked by Knight and marketing VP Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) to come up with a new spokesperson for Nike’s basketball shoes with a limited $250,000 budget. Yet, the choices he is given aren’t impressive with the exception of Charles Barkley while trying to nab Michael Jordan is impossible as he has already expressed interests from both Converse and Adidas who are preparing to make their offers.

While re-watching the 1982 NCAA championship where Jordan scored the winning shot, Vaccaro makes a discovery about that winning shot while also watching a commercial that Arthur Ashe did for Head tennis rackets as he came up with an idea that he knows is a major risk since he knows Jordan has no interest in Nike. After a dinner with George Raveling who coached Jordan for the 1984 Olympics, Vaccaro makes the decision to visit the Jordans at their home in Wilmington, North Carolina against the advice of Knight, Strasser, and Jordan’s agent David Falk who doesn’t like Vaccaro. Yet, Vaccaro’s meeting with Deloris Jordan about what he wants to do for her son has her intrigued as well as influence her about her upcoming meetings with Converse and Adidas. Vaccaro’s determination would win over Strasser as well as another VP in Howard White (Chris Tucker) and shoe designer Peter Moore (Matthew Maher) as they realize what they have to do to stand out against their competitors despite a rule by the NBA about shoes. Even as Nike knows they have a lot against them as well as trying to convince Jordan to sign with Nike where they would make a move that would prove to be groundbreaking.

Affleck’s direction is definitely stylish as it is shot in areas around Los Angeles but also places in Oregon including its headquarters at Beaverton, Oregon to create a world set during a fruitful period in time as basketball was about to reach newfound popularity in the NBA due to the rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. While there are some wide shots to establish some of the locations including the look of the basketball division floor at the Nike headquarters. Affleck maintains an intimacy into the direction with its usage of close-ups and medium shots as well as some unique tracking shots with the usage of the Steadicam to get a look at the entire basketball division floor as it would show people at work as it feels more like a place where everyone is enjoying themselves despite the fact that they might lose their jobs. Affleck also plays up to a certain look and feel of the times that is the 1980s as it does evoke some nostalgia but it also plays into a world that is changing with American basketball becoming big business as Nike struggles to keep up with their competitors.

A key aspect in Affleck’s direction that is very notable relates to Michael Jordan (Damian Young) as his face is never shown throughout the film while he rarely speaks as Affleck focuses more on the people at Nike as well as Jordan’s parents as they play a major role in his ascent. The conversation between Vaccaro and Deloris Jordan at the latter’s backyard is a key conversation where Vaccaro reveals certain small details about her upcoming meetings with the people at Converse and Adidas as the meetings would reveal what Deloris sees in those small details but also in questions she needed to ask. The meeting between the Jordans and Nike is a key moment that begins the film’s third act as it relates to what Nike wants for Jordan where Vaccaro talks to Michael about his future and what he will face as it raises a lot into the decisions they would make. A decision that Deloris Jordan would make that isn’t just game-changing but also would give Vaccaro a wider view on the future of sports. Overall, Affleck crafts a riveting and evocative film about a Nike talent scout who takes a big risk in nabbing a future icon to be the face of a new shoe line made exclusively for him.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its low-key yet colorful look to play into the look of the 1980s with its emphasis on low-level lighting as well as maintaining some grainy colors for some of the daytime exteriors as it is a highlight of the film. Editor William Goldenberg does excellent work with the editing as it has some stylish montage-style cutting but also some straightforward cutting to play into the drama and some of the comedic moments in the film. Production designer Francois Audouy, along with supervising art director A. Todd Holland plus set decorators David Smith and Henry Somarriba, does amazing work with the look of the Nike building interiors including Knight’s office as well as the exterior of the Jordan family home. Costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones does fantastic work as it plays into the style of the 80s clothing including some of the Nike tracksuits that Knight wears as cheesy as it looks.

Hair stylist Jessica Allen and makeup artist Kerrin Jackson does nice work with the look of the characters with Knight being the most notable with his hairdo as well as the look of Deloris Jordan. Special effects supervisor Mark R. Byers and visual effects supervisor Hansjeet Duggal do terrific work with the visual effects as it plays into some of the TV footage as well as some set-dressing for some of the exterior shots. Sound editor Susan Dawes, plus sound designers Ai-Ling Lee and Tobias Poppe, does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the offices and phone calls as well as the sounds of cars and such to play into the atmosphere of the 1980s.

Music supervisor Andrea von Forester does incredible work with the film’s soundtrack in cultivating a slew of music from late 1970s/early 1980s that include music from Dire Straits, Bruce Springsteen, Run-DMC, Violent Femmes, Mike + the Mechanics, Dan Hartman, the Alan Parsons Project, the Clash, Cyndi Lauper, Harold Faltemeyer, His Name is Alive, Tangerine Dream with additional score music by Paul Haslinger from the group, Squeeze, Rufus with Chaka Khan, Night Ranger, ZZ Top, REO Speedwagon, Big Country, George Clinton, Grandmaster Flash with Melle Mel and the Furious 5, the Dazz Band, Miami Nights 1984, Chris Boardman, Zapp, Pino Donaggio, Thomas Newman, Alexandre Desplat, Andy Partridge and Harold Budd, Mark Isham, and Be Chi. It is a soundtrack that is filled with a lot of the music from that time and it is such a fun soundtrack to listen to.

The casting by Lindsay Graham and Mary Vernieu does wonderful work with the film’s ensemble cast as it feature some notable small roles from Jessica Green as Knight’s secretary Katrina Sainz, Asante Deshon as a 711 clerk that Vaccaro chats with often about basketball, Jay Mohr as the American Adidas executive John Fisher, Gustav Skarsgard and Barbara Sukowa as the Adidas sibling executives in Kathe and Horst Dassler, Julius Tennon as James R. Jordan Sr. and Damian Young as Michael Jordan. Matthew Maher is terrific as shoe designer Peter Moore as an eccentric man who is going through a mid-life crisis as he also figures out the kind of shoe that would be marketable but also be something beautiful. Marlon Wayans is fantastic as George Raveling as Jordan’s coach during the Olympics who converses with Vaccaro about Jordan but also reveals to have owned something historical as he gives Vaccaro some words of wisdom in approaching the Jordans.

Chris Messina is excellent as Jordan’s agent David Falk who came up with the name Air Jordan as someone who is quite volatile towards Vaccaro while trying to do everything in the best interest of the Jordans. Chris Tucker is brilliant as Howard White as a Nike executive who is reluctant to get Jordan due to the fact that Jordan doesn’t like Nike’s products as well as understanding the culture though he is won over by Vaccaro’s determination. Jason Bateman is amazing as marketing VP Rob Strasser as a man who is often baffled and frustrated by Vaccaro yet is won over as he realizes there’s a chance that this move to get Jordan could save his job and hopefully more time with his daughter. Ben Affleck is incredible as Nike CEO Phil Knight as a man that is trying to keep his company away from a board of directors while is also trying to run Nike in the hope that he doesn’t shut down their basketball division as Affleck brings a lot of humor to his character but also some grounded aspects that makes him someone who does care about Nike and its employees.

Viola Davis is phenomenal as Deloris Jordan as Michael Jordan’s mother who is surprised by Vaccaro’s visit as she is aware about her son being a hot prospect as she also understands what Converse and Adidas are offering yet she realizes that Nike is offering something more that she wants to ensure her son’s financial future. Finally, there’s Matt Damon in a tremendous leading performance as Sonny Vaccaro as this talent scout who is trying to find a new spokesman for Nike’s basketball shoes as he makes a discovery in Michael Jordan where he is aware of the risk he is taking but is also someone that is direct in his pursuit where Damon brings the everyman quality to his character from his physical appearance as well as the sense of humility he brings as it’s one of his finest performances to date.

Air is a spectacular film from Ben Affleck that features a great ensemble cast led by Affleck, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, and Marlon Wayans. Along with its stylish yet nostalgic look, its study of a man taking a risk to capture an once-in-a-lifetime megastar, and a killer music soundtrack. It’s a film that isn’t just this fascinating sports film of sorts but also a film that shows the origin of one of the greatest shoe lines ever created. In the end, Air is a tremendous film from Ben Affleck.

Ben Affleck Films: (Gone Baby Gone) – The Town (2010 film) - Argo - (Live By Night)

© thevoid99 2023

Game Night

Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein and written by Mark Perez, Game Night is the story of a group of friends whose night of fun becomes trouble when it turns into a real-life mystery involving burglars as the line of reality and fiction starts to blur. The film is a dark comedy in which a simple night of games and fun involving a group of friends turn into a nightmare while they wonder if they’re still playing a game or if it’s real. Starring Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Kyle Chandler, Michael C. Hall, and Jesse Plemons. Game Night is a wild yet exhilarating film from John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.

A couple who holds a game night with their friends is invited by the man’s older brother about a mystery game where the lines of reality and fantasy start to blur with many wonder if there’s real criminals involved and all sorts of shit whether it’s really a game. That is the film’s premise as screenwriter Mark Perez play into this couple in Max and Annie Davis (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, respectively) who love to play games and always compete with others yet they’re dealing with having to grow up as they both want a child. Yet, Max is stressed due to the fact that his older and more successful brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) is in town who always find a way to beat Max in any game. When Brooks decide to hold a game night in his home, Max and Annie bring their friends in Kevin and Michelle Sterling (Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury, respectively), Ryan Huddle (Billy Magnussen), and his date/co-worker Sarah Darcy (Sharon Horgan) for the game.

When Brooks reveals what the game is, the ideas of reality and fiction blur where everyone at first thinks they’re playing the game. Along the way, some personal issues would emerge for the players as they also become confused into what is real and what is fiction. Even to the point where Max learns that Brooks is involved with some criminal activities as it raises more questions about Max’s own issues with himself and questions into about wanting to be a father. All of the trouble and confusion forces Max and Annie to turn to their neighbor in the cop Gary (Jesse Plemons) whom they haven’t invited into the game nights due to his socially-awkward behavior and the fact that his wife had just left him. Gary’s involvement would only add more chaos as it relates to the blur of reality and fantasy.

The direction of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein does have elements of style in some scenes yet much of it is straightforward in terms of the visuals. Shot on location in Atlanta, the film does play into suburban world that Max, Annie, and their friends live in as opposed to the more upper-class home that Brooks live in along with the world of the city. While there are a few wide shots to establish the locations, much of the direction has Daley and Goldstein utilize medium shots and close-up whenever there’s scenes that focuses on a couple or the entire group as they’re put into the frame. Even as they maintain the humor through the confusion of reality and fiction as the characters play on as if it’s still a game only to intensify as the story progresses. One notable sequence inside the mansion of a supposed criminal involves this unique tracking shot that goes on for a minute in one take where the players are passing a Fabergé egg that they’re trying to steal for the game. Even as it would unveil something much bigger that Brooks is involved him where they all have to use their skills as players to help him. Overall, Daley and Goldstein create a thrilling yet whimsical comedy about a game night that becomes a wild adventure.

Cinematographer Barry Peterson does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of low-key lights for a scene at a bar along with the exteriors set at night. Editors Jamie Gross, Gregory Plotkin, and David Egan do terrific work with the editing with its usage of rhythmic cuts to play into the action and humor as well as capturing the chaos of the game. Production designer Michael Corenblith, plus set decorator Susan Benjamin and art director Hugh D.G. Moody, does fantastic work with the look of Brooks’ home in its interiors as well as some of the places the characters go to. Costume designer Debra McGuire does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with everyone wearing casual clothing.

Visual effects supervisor Patrick David does some fine work with the visual effects as it’s mainly set dressing for some big set pieces in the film that include its climax. Sound designer Cameron Frankley and sound editor Jon Michaels do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the humor as well as in some of the action scenes. The film’s music by Cliff Martinez is amazing for its electronic-based score that is mainly driven by 80s style synthesizers while music supervisors Manish Raval and Tom Wolfe provide a fun soundtrack that features music from Queen, Engelbert Humperdinck, Third Eye Blind, Drake, Duke Ellington, Hall & Oates, Billy Joel, April Wine, Hampton Hawes, and Dirty Streets.

The casting by Rich Delia and Tara Feldstein is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Camille Chen as a doctor that Max and Annie meet early in the film, Chelsea Perretti as a woman who runs a mystery game business, Zerrick Williams and Joshua Mikel as a couple of kidnappers, Malcolm Hughes as actor Denzel Washington, Jessica Lee as Gary’s ex-wife Debbie, and Jeffrey Wright in an un-credited cameo appearance as the FBI agent Ron Henderson. Other notable small roles include appearances from Danny Huston as a supposed crime boss named Donald Anderton and Michael C. Hall in a superb role as a mysterious figure who appears in the film’s climax. Kyle Chandler is fantastic as Max’s older brother Brooks as a man who seems to have it all and often upstages Max with his own competitiveness only to hide something much darker as it relates to the game that is being played. Jesse Plemons is incredible as Gary as Max and Annie’s neighbor who is a cop that feels left out of not being invited to game nights where he later tries to help them with a situation as it’s a low-key yet witty performance from Plemons.

Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury are excellent in their respective roles as Kevin and Michelle Sterling as a couple who are part of the game night as they deal with what is happening while dealing with issues of infidelity before they were married. Billy Magnussen and Sharon Horgan are brilliant in their respective roles as Ryan Huddle and Sarah Darcy as co-workers that are on a date though they don’t know much about each other with Ryan trying to win while Sarah is an outsider who doesn’t know anyone yet is the smartest person in the room. Finally, there’s Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in amazing performances in their respective roles as Max and Annie Davis as a couple who are highly-competitive gamers who are coping with becoming more responsible while being lost in the game they’re playing with Bateman as sort of the straight man of the two while McAdams gets to be more lively as the two together are a joy to watch.

Game Night is a spectacular film from John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a cool music score by Cliff Martinez, and a hilarious yet adventurous story. It’s a film that isn’t afraid to be out there while also being a lot of fun about a game that blur the ideas of reality and fiction. In the end, Game Night is a tremendous film from John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.

© thevoid99 2018

Up in the Air

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/25/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Based on the novel by Walter Kirn, Up in the Air tells the story of a corporate downsizer whose job is to fly around the world to fire people from their jobs while hoping to reach his goal of a large frequent flyer numbers. During his journey, the man accompanies a young woman doing the same but with new technology while he falls for a traveling woman who also shares his philosophies about traveling. Directed by Jason Reitman with an adapted screenplay by Reitman and Sheldon Turner. The film is an exploration of a man's empty life and the world he surrounds himself in during a tumultuous time where the recession is hitting hard in the world. Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Danny McBride, Melanie Lynskey, Amy Morton, Sam Elliot, Zach Galifianakis, and appearances from J.K. Simmons and Jason Bateman. Up in the Air is a witty yet harrowing drama about isolation and the world that revolves around a single man.

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a man whose job is to fly from city to city where he tells people that they're fired. The reaction to those who are fired is shocking yet Bingham isn't really concerned with people's feelings as he's just there to do a job. Bingham flies millions of miles throughout the year hoping to reach the goal of 10 million frequent flyer miles to be part of a rare, prestigious club. When he's not flying or working, he lives in an apartment that he is rarely at in Omaha. On his spare time, Bingham also gives seminars on how to live a life without attachments where during those travels, he meets with another traveler named Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) where the two share an attraction towards each other.

When Bingham is called back to Omaha by his boss Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman), Bingham learns of a new strategy that could impact his job and lifestyle. A new young employee named Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) has just introduced the idea of firing people through the Internet and on video screen. Upon the realization that Natalie has little experience in interacting face-to-face with the people she's to fire, Gregory decides to have Natalie accompany Bingham so she can have experience. Bingham reluctantly takes her in while showing her the ropes on how to travel and how to do things properly. Natalie becomes unaware of the emotional implications of what to do when firing people as she angers a fired employee (J.K. Simmons) where Bingham would calm the man down.

With Bingham's own personal life having little attachment as he learned his younger sister Julie (Melanie Lynskey) is about to get married. He is asked by his sister Kara (Amy Morton) to take pictures with a cardboard picture of Julie and her fiancee Jim (Danny McBride) in various places. Bingham reluctantly does with help from Natalie and during a stop in Miami, he meets up with Alex again as she shares her own philosophies of life to Natalie as they crash a party. With Natalie still trying to get her footing on how to fire people as well as the way Bingham's life works. She and Bingham are suddenly called back to Omaha as Bingham makes some unexpected moves on his own in choosing to go to his sister's wedding. During this visit where Alex accompanies him, Bingham begins to question his own life along with his growing attraction to Alex.

The film is about a traveling man traveling all across the country doing his own thing without any kinds of attachment to anyone or anything. Yet, he would end up meeting people that would change all of these philosophies that he lives by while pondering about his own lifestyle. The film itself is an existential drama with dabbles of humor. Yet, it all centers around the character of Ryan Bingham. A man who loves his job, loves to fly, loves to live in nice hotels, and have all of the benefits. Yet, he would often be attached to a woman in Alex, who does the same as they're attracted to each other. When he takes Natalie on board as his new protegee, Bingham is suddenly faced with questions from Natalie about his lifestyle and his goals. Bingham avoids them only to realize that Natalie might have a point near the end of the film.

The screenplay that Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner is wonderfully structured from the first act of Bingham's world and the introduction of Natalie where he bring her on his travels. The second being his increased attraction to Alex and guiding Natalie into this cruel world of firing people. All of this would lead to a dramatic third act that would impact not just Bingham's own development and feelings about the world. It would also impact about the people around him where there is a harsh revelation about Alex along with Natalie's own feelings about the world. Along the way in the journey, there's moments where all three characters would learn about themselves and have fun as the lesson in life is there's no life without interaction or attachments.

The script Reitman and Turner creates definitely raises questions about existentialism and the way the world works. Even as it is told at the right place and right time when America as of late 2009 is still going through a horrible recession where people are losing their jobs. The reactions of the people who are fired are told realistically of what they could be going through or what they went through. While to Bingham, it may not affect him very much but to someone as young as Natalie. It's a cruel reminder of the way the world is as her idea to fire people through the computer without human interaction would change her in such a way. Notably in a tragic moment in the third act that would impact not just Natalie but also Bingham in relation to what Natalie is feeling.

The screenplay definitely features some amazing writing in its dialogue and moments of humor. Yet, it's Reitman's direction of the film itself that is truly stunning. From the opening credit sequence of ariel shots of various cities and landscapes to his engaging compositions of everything he's shooting at the airport, hotels, and various cities. It's as if Reitman is taking the audience onto a journey from city to city where as troubled as it is. America is still a beautiful and interesting place from the ariel shots of the cities at night to the airports they're at. Yet, Reitman's direction is filled with close-ups and zooms to emphasize what is happening to the characters. Even as they're facing the emotional upheaval of what they're doing or going through. Even if it's a funny moment where something isn't meant to be funny but can come across as something that is quite hilarious.

The sarcastic humor that Reitman creates works in its sense of rhythm that keeps the film going. The dramatic staging that Reitman does is superb as he knows where to distance himself from he and the actors as they're performing. Yet, some of those dramatic moments and compositions do create moments that are stunning. Notably in the world of Ryan Bingham as he faces the idea of isolation and trying to find some meaning in his life. The result of these intimate moments, light comical moments, and intense, heavy sequences and compositions show that Jason Reitman is becoming a director that will engage the audiences with themes and ideas as he is really just getting started.

Cinematographer Eric Steelberg does brilliant work with the film's photography from darkly-lit but colorful interior nighttime scenes at the bar where Alex and Ryan meets to the bright colors in the interiors of the airports that Ryan frequents in. Even in some shots where things are a little grey in the exterior scenes as Steelberg's work is phenomenal. Editor Dana E. Glauberman is excellent in its rhythmic pacing, straight-cuts and transitions while moving the film quite leisurely for the most part. Even in scenes where it's funny or for dramatic effect.

Production designer Steve Saklad with set decorator Linda Lee Sutton and art director Andrew Max Cahn do great work in the art direction of the film. From the look of the party that Ryan, Alex, and Natalie crash to the hotel rooms, and even Ryan's own apartment home which looks somewhat empty all have something to say in Ryan's life. The costume design of Danny Glicker is really good from the suits that Ryan wears along with the business-woman clothes that Alex and Natalie wears where Alex has a sexier look with Natalie a more uptight look to emphasize their characters. Sound editors Barney Cabral, Perry Robertson, and Scott Sanders do fine work in the film's sound from the way airplanes sound in and out, the intimate sounds of the conferences that Ryan speaks in, and the atmosphere of Natalie talking through people in the computer in their termination as it's done quite superbly.

The music score by Rolfe Kent is lightly playful and subtle to emphasize on Ryan's continuing journey in life and the people he encounters. Yet, the soundtrack compiled by Randall Poster and Rick Clark is wonderful with songs by Sharon King and the Dap-Kings, Graham Nash, Elliot Smith, Charles Atlas, and Crosby, Stills, & Nash in playing up to the journey of Ryan Bingham.

The casting by Mindy Marin is superb with some cameo appearances from Young MC at the party Ryan, Alex, and Natalie crash in along with J.K. Simmons and Zach Galifianakis as terminated employees. Simmons as a hardened, bitter man who plays it quite straight while Galifianakis does a great job in playing up for laughs in his own fantasies about being fired. Sam Elliot also makes a funny cameo appearance as an airline pilot who sits with Ryan. Danny McBride is very good in a very understated yet restrained role as Ryan's soon-to-be brother-in-law while Melanie Lynskey is wonderful as Ryan's younger sister. Amy Morton is fine in a small but memorable role as Ryan's older sister who is not happy about his lifestyle choice while Jason Bateman is great as Ryan's smarmy boss.

Anna Kendrick is superb in a real breakthrough role as Natalie Keener. Already known for a fantastic role in Rocket Science and more recently, in the Twilight film series, Kendrick delivers in being a great foil of sorts for George Clooney while going head-to-head about the way things are. Kendrick is also funny and dramatic as she not only steals a few scenes from Clooney but makes her character to be very memorable and realistic about how young people are trying to figure out the world. Vera Farmiga is excellent as Alex, a sexy woman who likes to travel and do all sorts of fun things with Ryan Bingham. Yet, there's also someone who has seen a lot in life in a character like Alex as she helps not only guide Natalie through the world of adulthood but also help Ryan find a world other than traveling that would later be part of a very dramatic set-up. Farmiga's performance is definitely phenomenal as she definitely can go toe-to-toe with someone as big as George Clooney.

George Clooney, himself, delivers in what is definitely his best dramatic role yet. While Clooney is a movie star who can deliver the goods in a performance. He's also an actor that will provide the right notes in a performance. Maybe not in the style of a method actor like Sean Penn or as grandiose as Daniel Day-Lewis. Yet, Clooney's performance as Ryan Bingham is very realistic in its development of a man in an existential journey where he not only tries to fight in saving a lifestyle that he only knows. He would end going into a realization that living life without attachments aren't really worth living. It's a remarkable performance from Clooney who not only can dominate a scene but is willing to share it with other actors, notably Farmiga and Kendrick. What Clooney creates is a role that is shows his range as an actor while giving it a personality that only Clooney can create.

Up in the Air is an amazing film from Jason Reitman and company with great performances from George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick. Audiences who want to see witty films that is entertaining and smart will definitely enjoy this. Though at times, the tone is bleak, it's a film that really tells a story that is relevant and what is happening while telling stories about the way life works. For fans of Jason Reitman, this film will truly show a massive stepping stone into his career as it is clear that he will become a director to watch in the years to come. In the end, Up in the Air is a remarkable achievement from Jason Reitman while giving its star George Clooney one of his best roles yet.

Jason Reitman Films: Thank You for Smoking - Juno - Young Adult - Labor Day - (Men, Women, & Children) - Tully - The Front Runner - Ghostbusters: Afterlife - The Auteurs #30: Jason Reitman

© thevoid99 2011

Juno

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/30/07 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Jason Reitman and written by newcomer Diablo Cody, Juno is about a young girl from a small town who suddenly gets pregnant. Deciding to give the baby away to a couple, she begins to deal with the changes in her life and such. While Reitman's previous film was a satire on the tobacco industry, this film is more about a young girl's pregnancy and how her family and friends deal with this experience. Starring Ellen Page, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Olivia Thirlby, and Rainn Wilson. Juno is a charming, witty film from Jason Reitman.

Juno MacGuff is a 16-year old high school student who just discovered that she's pregnant after trying three pregnancy tests at a convenience store. Realizing the father is her friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), she remembers that the conception happened out of boredom one night. Calling her best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), she suggests that Juno to go to an abortion clinic but cold feet makes her change her mind. With help from Leah, Juno searches for the Penny Savers to find a couple to give the baby up for adoption. After finding the right couple, Juno tells her father Mac (J.K. Simmons) and step-mother Bren (Allison Janney) about her pregnancy and plans to give it up for adoption.

Juno and Mac then meet the couple they're going to give the baby to in the form of middle-class, posh suburban Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner) as Juno just wants to give the baby away. Though she is amused by their yuppie lifestyle, she learns Mark is a music composer for commercials with love for alternative rock and old-school horror films. While Vanessa is excited about having a baby, Mark seems more interested in his own world as he and Juno bond over music and horror films. With support from Mac and Bren, Juno deals with her newfound role as a 16-year old pregnant teenager while her friendship with Paulie is becoming shaky as they hope to reform their old band. Hanging out with Mark, Juno learns about their previous attempts to adopt when she and Leah meet Vanessa at the mall and her love for children.

By the spring and in the final stages of the pregnancy, Juno learns that Paulie might go to the prom with Katrina De Vroot (Ashley Whillans), a girl Paulie claimed he doesn't like. A falling out ensues as Juno decides to meet Mark where she learns about his relationship with Vanessa starting to falter. The sense of disillusionment over adulthood and love force Juno to confront with realities she is too young to face as she tries to find a way to deal with everything. Even as her child is about to come out.

If a film about teenage pregnancy was done in a Hollywood style, it wouldn't work because it's tendency to sugarcoat something or make an entire situation look very silly. Yet, in the mind of director Jason Reitman and first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody, this is a film that doesn't pander down to Hollywood conventions or anything that's expected for a typical teenager. Instead, the whole film feels very real yet is done with a lot of sarcastic humor and realism, particularly in how high school is. Juno is a character who is essentially a loner with a few friends though she and Leah are in different social circles. Yet, Juno gets by with her own sarcasm, love of punk rock and alternative music, and her individuality that is both her strength and weakness.

Screenwriter Diablo Cody does a fantastic job with this amazing screenplay that is filled with a lot of heart, humor, and moments that audiences can relate to. Whether it's life in high school or dealing with adult situations that a 16 year old might not handle at all. Cody's script is very smart in the way characters are developed and such, notably the character of Vanessa. She's a woman who might seem like a typical, WASP-like character who is so giddy about having a child. Yet, when Juno gets to know her, there's a whole lot more to Vanessa as this woman who wants to be a mother. It's part of Cody's study of character that reveals that even though Juno is this kind of smart-aleck teenage girl, she is a real teenage girl that teenagers can relate to.

This is where Jason Reitman's direction is at it's best. While Reitman’s approach to humor is more subtle than his father, he really takes a huge step forward as far as approaching a film like this. Whereas his debut film Thank You for Smoking was a satire that was stylish yet worked in some parts, Juno really shows Reitman taking his direction to a more intimate level. It doesn't look overlit or forced so the result seems relaxed and natural that includes a wonderful opening credit sequence that's done in animation. Even the compositions are great to emphasize the moments of drama and humor as Reitman really shines with his direction that is overall solid.

Cinematographer Eric Steelberg does an excellent job with the film's cinematography that has a more natural look with wonderful colors and grey-like footage to showcase the differing look of the seasons from autumn to summer. Whereas the entire film has this look that is colorful yet desolate, it works to convey the look as well as the mood of the film. Editor Dana E. Glauberman does great work with the film's editing to convey the film's quirky tone with the use of jump-cuts and fade-outs to work the film's structure and changing of the seasons. Production designer Steve Sakland along with art directors Michael Diner and Catherine Schroer do great work in presenting the different places of Juno's world from the posh-like suburbia of the Lorings, the rooms of Leah and Paulie, to the working-class home of the MacGuff family that is very real with loads of props including the cheeseburger phone that is actually owned by screenwriter Diablo Cody.

Costume designer Monique Prodhomme does excellent work with the look of the high school track clothes that Paulie wears with those yellow short-shorts, red shirt, and yellow headband. It's funny and a bit creepy while the overall costume works to convey the personalities of each character. Sound editors Barney Carbal and Perry Robertson do a fantastic job with the film's sound, notably a scene of dramatic tension at the abortion clinic that forces Juno to make a drastic decision that works for laughs and such. The film's folky score by Matt Messina with chimes and such is wonderful plaintive as it conveys a Hal Ashby like feel reminiscent of his 1971 classic film Harold & Maude that featured the music of Cat Stevens.

The soundtrack is amazing and definitely one of the year's best. Featuring songs by Kimya Dawson and her former band the Moldy Peaches, the soundtrack is wonderful in conveying Juno's quirky little world that also features music from Sonic Youth covering the Carpenters' Superstar, Belle & Sebastian, the Kinks, Buddy Holly, Cat Power, the Velvet Underground, and Mott the Hoople's classic song All The Young Dudes written by David Bowie. It's a great soundtrack that is similar to the style of the film soundtracks of Wes Anderson but with a great selection while the music is used to great effect.

The film's cast is wonderfully assembled with small roles from Ashley Whillans as Katrina De Vroot whom Juno refers to as Soupy Sales, Kaaren de Zilva as an Ultrasound technician, Steven Christopher Parker and Candice Accola as Juno's lab partners who were fighting each other in a scene, Valerie Tian as Juno's schoolmate Su-Chin who is an abortion protester, Darla Vandenbossche as Bleeker's mom, and Sierra Pitkin as Juno's little sister Liberty Bell. Emily Perkins of Ginger Snaps fame makes a great appearance as pierced receptionist who looks very punk and twisted while Rainn Wilson is funny as a convenience store clerk who makes funny remarks to Juno's pregnancy.

Newcomer Olivia Thirlby is excellent as Juno's sexy best friend Leah, a cheerleader who helps Juno in finding the right parents while having to be one of her few real friends during this moment as Leah is also interested in old, adult teachers. Allison Janney is great as Juno's step-mother Bren who might seem like a typical mother but has her funny one-liners as she supports her step-daughter while saying the right, funny things in the film. J.K. Simmons is also great and funny as Mac MacGruff, an old army veteran who supports his daughter while giving her quirky advice on life and such. Jason Bateman is wonderful as Mark Loring, a man not sure about being a father as his desires to be a rock musician is in conflict as he desperately tries to hold on to his youth.

Jennifer Garner is amazing as Vanessa Loring, a loving, caring woman whose desires to be a mother is in conflict as she is pondering about her own maternal instincts despite her cheery personality. Garner may not have moments of humor but she holds her own as a woman who realizes she might have what it takes. Michael Cera is a joy to watch as Paulie Bleeker, this skinny kid wearing short-shorts who represents the kind of awkwardness of this young man who knows isn’t ready to be a father while trying to deal with being a young man growing up. Cera's performance is great while he does look fantastic in those yellow short-shorts, red shirt, and yellow bandana.

Then there's Ellen Page in what has to be one of the year's best performances by an actress. The 20-year old Canadian actress definitely shows her range as this quirky, offbeat young woman who tries to deal with this new reality while making her way in life through her sarcasm. Page's performance is a knock-out as she not only carries the film with such ease as well as natural humor and depth into playing a real-life teenager. This is truly Ellen Page's film all the way as she makes a star-making turn in this great performance.

Juno is a flat-out humorous, sweet, entertaining, and realistic film from Jason Reitman and company led by Ellen Page's winning performance and a funny script from Diablo Cody. Featuring a great ensemble cast and a superb soundtrack, it's a film that has a nice mix of humor and drama about teenage pregnancy without all of the sentimental mush that often revolves around these films. In the end, Juno is a phenomenal film from Jason Reitman.

Jason Reitman Films: Thank You for Smoking - Up in the Air - Young Adult - Labor Day - (Men, Women, & Children) - Tully - The Front Runner - Ghostbusters: Afterlife - The Auteurs #30: Jason Reitman

© thevoid99 2011