Faith in Film, Week 8

Tonight we continue our discussion with "Up In The Air," a drama/comedy from director Jason Reitman that was released in 2009. This is one of my favorite films, and the best from Reitman. He kicked off his feature film career with "Thank You For Smoking" in 2005, then followed up with "Juno" in 2007 before releasing this film. And this film was a hit for him, with audiences and critics.

It was nominated for six Academy Awards, though it didn't win any awards. One of the things the film did really well was capture a certain time and struggle in our country, particularly as regards the economy. The film shot in 2008 in St. Louis and Detroit, two cities hit hard by the bursting of the housing bubble and the economic crisis. And they used real people, sharing real stories of being laid off, to create something powerful and memorable. And that's one of the reasons the film stood out.

But the other focus of the plot was the philosophy of the central character, Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), who cultivated a worldview that he didn't need any connections, to people or things. And he lived his life that way. But he encounters a pair of ladies, a co-worker Natalie and a new love interest in Alex, that begin to challenge that view about the importance of connections. Or at least about the value of connections.

The film ultimately ends in a somewhat sad place. Ryan goes through an arc of growth, but gets burned when he opens himself up. That leads him to sort of lean into his philosophy. But as Christians, we know that we were made to be connected to others. The obvious implication in this film is about marriage, which is a frequent discussion among the characters. But there is something deeper here, too. Ryan lives a life of complete isolation. He's not alone, as he points out, but those are all superficial connections.

In this era of the rise of the Internet and shifting cultures, this is an even bigger danger for our culture. And it's not God's plan for us, even those who don't feel called to marriage need some kind of deep, rooted connection.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” When Ryan was hurting and trying to figure out where to go, he was doing it on his own. That’s the way he’d crafted his life — free of material connection and, more importantly, free of personal connections. He didn’t think it would matter, and by the time he realized it did, he discovered it was too late, or at least that’s how it felt. He ended the film back in the air traveling. One of the last images is of him, alone, with everything he really owns in his suitcase, looking at the big board of destinations about to leave and stay lost.

But that isn’t God’s plan, and that’s why it feels hollow for him, and should for us. That’s why we’re part of a church, rather than just following God on our own.

Discussion Questions:
1. Did this film work for you, why or why not?

2. What is the social and moral value of a marriage relationship?

3. What is the social and moral value of being part of a connected faith community?