7/10
In a world where romantic comedies feature the likes of Sandra Bullock and Rene Zellwegger making idiots of themselves, I feel like a thirsty man in the desert who comes across an oasis - a film for grownups which is witty, amusing, perceptive and actually deals with a real life issue. George Clooney is Ryan Bingham, a man who spends 322 days a year travelling, and only has to endure 43 days at home (a euphemism for a small space where he stores his clothes). During these 322 days he flies back and forth across the skies of America firing people whose bosses are too chicken shit to do it for themselves. He loves his work and is good at it, even bringing an element of compassion to the job. But then two women enter his life and everything changes. One is a fellow traveller who's up for no strings sex as long as they can coordinate their schedules. The other is much younger, an earnest new colleague, whose brain wave is to suggest to Ryan's boss that they can do the firing by computer, saving time and money spent on flying and accommodation. Bingham is horrified - how is he going to reach his 10 million miles frequent flyer target if he's grounded? Good question, as are several others implied by the script - both about male/female relationships, but also worker/employer. George is in his element, oozing charm and urbanity while allowing us to see the flaws in his apparently unruffled vision of the perfect life. Jason Reitman (who made Juno) co-wrote the script and directed, and is clearly a director with sense and panache, and if only he could wean himself off tinkly guitar music on the soundtrack, might be someone to reckon with.
