Up in the Air/The Descendants Film Review
Film Review: Up in the Air/The Descendants
Paradise. We each have our own specific interpretations of what kind of environment this epitome of comfort and serenity may represent; and this is one of the key linking concepts between Up in the Air (2009) and The Descendants (2011).This idea is driven home strongly by both the endearing leading roles of George Clooney and the physical settings of the films themselves, giving two frank contrasts of this idea of what ‘paradise’ is.
First delivered from the stereotypically idealistic location that is Hawaii; filled with beaches, palm trees and beautiful women; The Descendants protagonist Matt King opens his narration from the bedside of his recently coma ridden wife “I’ve been living in a ‘paradise’ of IV’s, urine bags and tracheal tubes. Paradise. Paradise can go fuck itself”. It’s clear from even just this opening that what we assume to be a ‘tropical wonderland’ is really as grounded in the real world as everywhere else. As we progress through King’s life though we understand these evident cracks in his life spread much wider; his clear disconnect with his distraught children and close family, unknowingness of his wife’s affair and general stress surrounding his job. King is not at all comfortable in his environment; in fact King does not smile until about 2 thirds into the movie, as if the human definition of trouble in paradise.
That is not the case though for Up in the Air lead Ryan Bingham who is as comfortable as could be in his travelling lifestyle “All the things you probably hate about travelling -the recycled air, the artificial lighting, the digital juice dispensers, the cheap sushi- are warm reminders that I'm home”. Bingham has a system for life; he avoids it. He travels perfectly, flitting between meetings, sealed safe and selfish in business class. See how effortlessly he negotiates the hurdles of airport security. Hear his withering put-downs of the herds of clueless travellers. Bingham’s
Paradise. We each have our own specific interpretations of what kind of environment this epitome of comfort and serenity may represent; and this is one of the key linking concepts between Up in the Air (2009) and The Descendants (2011).This idea is driven home strongly by both the endearing leading roles of George Clooney and the physical settings of the films themselves, giving two frank contrasts of this idea of what ‘paradise’ is.
First delivered from the stereotypically idealistic location that is Hawaii; filled with beaches, palm trees and beautiful women; The Descendants protagonist Matt King opens his narration from the bedside of his recently coma ridden wife “I’ve been living in a ‘paradise’ of IV’s, urine bags and tracheal tubes. Paradise. Paradise can go fuck itself”. It’s clear from even just this opening that what we assume to be a ‘tropical wonderland’ is really as grounded in the real world as everywhere else. As we progress through King’s life though we understand these evident cracks in his life spread much wider; his clear disconnect with his distraught children and close family, unknowingness of his wife’s affair and general stress surrounding his job. King is not at all comfortable in his environment; in fact King does not smile until about 2 thirds into the movie, as if the human definition of trouble in paradise.
That is not the case though for Up in the Air lead Ryan Bingham who is as comfortable as could be in his travelling lifestyle “All the things you probably hate about travelling -the recycled air, the artificial lighting, the digital juice dispensers, the cheap sushi- are warm reminders that I'm home”. Bingham has a system for life; he avoids it. He travels perfectly, flitting between meetings, sealed safe and selfish in business class. See how effortlessly he negotiates the hurdles of airport security. Hear his withering put-downs of the herds of clueless travellers. Bingham’s