The New Normal: How Up in the Air Captures the Desolation of Modern Work Jason Reitman's 2009 comedy drama Up in the Air feels eerily prescient as it portrays corporate America's soulless efficiency and the human cost of modern work.
With its poignant portrayal, this film is a cinematic warning sign that our society has been ignoring for decades. The protagonist, Ryan Bingham, played by George Clooney, is a masterclass in everyman desperation.
A high flying corporate downsizer who spends most of his time cutting jobs and severance packages with all the empathy of a digital robot, Bingham embodies the cult of efficiency that pervades modern work.