Up in the Air

710 pm EST, 28 October 2010. A little over an hour left before I touchdown at Newark's Liberty International Airport. I left the San Antonio International Airport at 330 CST, so you do the math on how long I have been on this flight or will be. I look out the window and it has just turned dark outside. The light from the wing of the aircraft has just started flickering. I remember the famous ending line from the movie Up in the Air starring the irresistible George Clooney. "The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places; and one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over."

I saw the movie a second time this week. The first time I saw it was when I was "up in the air" going from Philadelphia to Frankfurt on my way to India this summer. Nice coincidence, isn't it? I was instantly impressed by it. After all the movie won several oscars, did it not? I'm trying to think what it was about the movie that I liked. I guess there were several things. First of, Ryan Bingham, the protagonist (played by George Clooney), is on the road (or should I say up in the air!) all the time. He has a job firing people (that's the tough part of the movie) and he LOVES TRAVELLING. Ask my wife if that sounds like me.

Numbers mean a lot to him (just like me again, also see my 10/10/10 post). In fact his very GOAL in life is a number. His goal is to accumulate 10 million miles on American Airways and become only the 7th person in the world to do it on any airline. And like all good movies, he does achieve it at the end. The sweetest part is he even uses 1 million of the 10 to send his sister and brother in law on a world tour as it is something that they would have loved to do but don't have the money to. Now, my dear sister in Indiana, I know what you are thinking but as you always say, "pirkaalathula paakalam" (let's see later!).

George Clooney looks great and his acting is top notch. And there is this cute girl (there has to be a cute girl for me to like anything!!!) who plays not the heroine of the film, but Clooney's colleague and whom he mentors and this time for a change I liked the cute girl not because she is cute but there is a certain element of strength in her character. She is a confident career woman who has a failed relationship and a big work idea that blows right in her face but after just a brief emotional burst, she retains her composure and bounces right back into life. She moves on. It's a kind of strength I have grown to admire in people and this character in this movie just brought it home again for me.

And then there are several other things. The movie has all the right elements. Funny moments, sweet gestures, poignant points and outright emotional events. The perfect mix of tones a successful movie must have. But more so the elements I think I have always associated with in life, even some of the moments I have truly lived, so to say. Even as I watched this movie a first time, it brought back to me several memories and associations from my own life. When I watched it the second time this week, I was completely consumed by it and at the end I was awestruck. And now it is clear to me why I like this movie. Up in the Air is so much up my alley ,or should I say, in some ways, Ryan Bingham was so "ME".

The flight attendant just announced that all electronic devices must be shut off and I will do that now. But before I go, I have just one thing to share. I called Continental Airlines yesterday and they told me that this flight I am on today will be the 30th segment I have travelled on their airline this year. And when I land in Newark in a few minutes from now, I will qualify for the Silver Elite status of the their OnePass Miles program. I still have a few miles to go for 10 million. And I will start that journey with my connecting flight to Philadelphia an hour later. But rest assured, Ryan Bingham, here I come.

P.S. Up in the Air just joined my all time favorite English movies after Shall we Dance, Indecent Proposal and School of Rock!