Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's, oh, yes, it is a plane.

Jason Reitman.
Man.
He made an amazing film.
JK Simmons, Sam Elliot, David Koechner, Robert Duvall, Rob Lowe, Adam Brody, Aaron Eckhart all knocked it for six in THank You For Smoking, not one weak link in that hysterical film that never was intended to be the biting satire reviewers hoped for, and as such dismissed it due to the fact. No, it was the story of a suave, charismatic man leading a PR campaign on smoking whilst balancing his son and a bitch of a reporter trying to expose secrets.
This was a fantastic debut, one of those films you can watch again and again and laugh at the same wonderfully delivered subtle lines. The script, based on a book, was also written by Mr. Reitman Jr.

And then there was Juno. This was a film that turned the tide on Smoking, maybe it was a feat of luck that Smoking was any good. A script by now official hack job Academy Award winner Diablo Cody, using the most cringeworthy attempts at 'music' in a ho hum tale of annoying slut Ellen Page as she carries a baby to term, alongside same schtick different day Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, Jennifer eugh Garner, Allison Janney (Woo) and, once more for good measure, JK Simmons, it was a film that was so up itself in the appalling humour, references beyond a kid's age aren't funny, especially if they're only references in a Guy Ritchie-esque phrasing with the lack of coherent consistency or entertaining rhythm of saying things, it's just a horrible film.
For 2 years now I was wondering if it was a one off or a steep decline that will continue with Reitman film 3.

That film is Up In The Air.
Based on a book, co-written script by Jason Reitman.
Starring George Clooney of all people, with additions of JK, Elliot, Bateman and Danny McBride, it's a film that looks at a man who spends his life in airports and hotels, to which reviewers were disappointed it wasn't a sharply pointed satire on air travel.

Yup, you guessed it, we're back safely in the holy heavens of category 1, this is Thank You For Smoking good.
It's very funny at times, Clooney being as charismatic as ever delivering some fantastic one-liners, the film can really hit the comedy out of the park. But the best thing is, with the aide of two wonderful female companions on his journey, in the guise of Vera Farmiga's female Clooney and Anna Kendrick as a young business graduate of Cornell (Rid did i doo! Nard Dog!) who is trying to change the way that Clooney's outside hiring to lay people off company works, no traveling, all on webcams.
Between the three of them, some semblance of a heart begins to appear, and it's not just coincidence, after the opening 20 minutes we are slowly leaning in to Clooney's Ryan Bingham in his home life, slight hints of family, being a big build up to a sister of his' wedding.
As we learn more and see just how alone he is when he isn't in his element, we connect, and hard.

And that's when the film REALLY gets going, without being synthetic or forceful, the subtle details allow us to care so much more for Bingham, and even the young woman trying to make him stop doing what he loves, when she bursts into tears all of a sudden, we care. Not because the music swells and the close ups make us, but because we're into the story, we like the characters in some small way at the very least, so we want to care, and do.
A testament to Reitman not pressuring anything, taking it nice and cool in that respect, most filmmakers would spend far too long on that kind of moment.

In addition to that, the moments where Clooney and his new friend do things together, visit his high school, go to his sister's wedding, watch Young MC sing Bust A Move, and Clooney even says it, high point of the film, it's nice to see the relationship grow.
Of course, meanly, we then get a twist that makes everything so so so unfair, but I guess what are ya gonna do, had to happen.

The one complaint I have is that the last 10 minutes slow to a halt too early and then keep trudging forward, after an hour and change of excellent work, for it to slow too quickly is a real shame, but, well, it's still great.
10/10
Mr. Reitman is back!