George Clooney Plays a Corporate Downsizer in "Up in the Air"

On the television comedy "My Name is Earl," the title character is very concerned with the concept of Karmic Retribution. Earl, a petty thief, believes that in order to lead a better life, he has to go back and correct all his past mistakes, including the things he did that hurt his parents. Working from an ever-changing list of mistakes, Earl revisits his past in order to secure a better future.

Karma also plays a big part in "Up in the Air," a bittersweet new comedy that was partially filmed in the St. Louis area. George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, an executive who is based in Omaha. Working for a firm that helps other companies downsize their workforce, Ryan spends approximately 322 days of the year flying across the country in order to fire people face-to-face.

Ryan Bingham's job is on the line while he's "Up in the Air"

Seeing himself as a necessary evil, especially when corporations are too afraid to dismiss their own people, Ryan enjoys the perks that come with his job. While chatting with another business traveler named Alex (Vera Farmiga) in a hotel bar, they compare frequent flyer cards and hotel reward points like they were playing Texas hold 'em in a casino.

In a bit of ironic justice, Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman), Ryan's boss, suddenly calls all his "road warriors" back to the home office. In an effort to save money, Craig plans to implement a remote system of firing employees, which has been developed by a fresh young newcomer named Natalie (Anna Kendrick).

Natalie's system means that Ryan will now be chained to a desk, no longer able to spend his days in the air or at hotels across the country. To prove the benefits of personal, face-to-face dismissals over remote terminations, Craig lets Ryan take Natalie on one last trip across the country. Natalie firmly believes in her new technology while Ryan still holds onto to the old ways of doing things.

George Clooney should earn an Oscar nod for "Up in the Air"

Sharply written, "Up in the Air" may hit a little too close to home for many people, especially when Ryan pulls out the packets that many displaced workers receive on their last day on the job. Director Jason Reitman has created a brutally honest, sometimes humorous look at the changing face of corporate America and the people affected by it.

George Clooney is rock-solid here as Ryan Bingham, a man so far removed from his own family that he feels more at home in hotel rooms. Clooney delvers an Oscar-worthy performance as the man who, after firing so many people, finds his own job and livelihood on the chopping block. Clooney definitely makes "Up in the Air" the must-see of the holiday season.

"Up in the Air," rated R for language and some sexual content, opens nationwide in December.