Starring AFI Life Achievement Award honoree George Clooney in a thoughtful and melancholy meditation on the humans behind corporate inhumanity in contemporary times, UP IN THE AIR (2009) was honored with an AFI recognizing it as one of the year’s most outstanding achievements. According to the official rationale, “UP IN THE AIR is a triumphant tale for our turbulent times. With the clarity of perspective that comes from a window seat at 30,000 feet, Jason Reitman proves again to soar among the art form’s finest storytellers. Together, with co-screenwriter Sheldon Turner, he has taken the words from Walter Kirn’s novel and given them flight in a film that both harkens back to the glory of Hollywood past and assures audiences that smart, witty and painfully human stories are here for the future. This sentiment is best embodied in George Clooney, an American treasure who captivates again with his signature alchemy of gentleman and jester, charmer and chump. The film is also a showcase for two of the most original female characters of the year, played with grace and gusto by Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. UP IN THE AIR is a film that defines the challenges of a generation — to consider what one truly values in life — and where we call home.”

Visit the AFI Catalog to learn more about UP IN THE AIR.