Thursday 23 June 2011

Best Actor 2009: George Clooney in Up in the Air

George Clooney received his third Oscar nomination for portraying Ryan Bingham in Up in the Air.

Up in The Air tells about about who fires people, and loves his never stopping life style, although has to take a look back at his life due to what seems like a more serious relationship, and due to changes in his job.

George Clooney's performance in this film fails to ever interest or intrigue me. Why because he fails to realize anything past himself in terms of his characterization, especially in this performance as Ryan Bingham, which would be described as coasting to its fullest extent. Now one could argue, no that is because he has so much ease in the part as to look like he is coasting, but they would be wrong. Clooney does not show an ease with the part because he is not playing a part, but just being himself and reading lines for most of the film, although not all of it.

When Clooney was doing anything as Bingham, whether it was giving his stupid speeches about back packs or when he is doing one of his firing speeches, I really just see Clooney making these speeches, I sense no character along with him, just Clooney reciting. Now I again would could criticize me due to my liking of performances from people like Clark Gable, or Sidney Poitier who many accuse of just playing themselves in certain roles. I would say no they take their self and utilize it for the performance, but Clooney just plays himself, there is a big difference, due to a lack of conviction in the actual character.

The scenes that require Clooney to come out of his comfort zone such as when he talks about his big frequent flyer mileage build up. Now this should be a distinct feature of Ryan Bingham but one will notice that Clooney really fails to really convey the excitement Bingham probably should have over this achievement of his lifetime. Instead in this scene he frankly seems rather uninterested in the prospect himself, because he just seems to be saying it with a little emphasis, but a phony feeling emphasis, because he still is just being Clooney.

Clooney fails there and many similar moments, and his big changes in the character are not ones I find he is able to pull off either, because again he fails to develop Bingham into a human being keeping him instead always on the surface lacking any real depth to really portray a conviction to make Bingham a believable person. Clooney is challenged more near the end where he must evaluate his life, Clooney self evaluation part is as uninteresting as the rest of his performance, and really he changes gives rather telegraphed glances to portray everything such as feelings of being betrayed by who he thought was a kindred spirit, or when he loses his belief in his back pack speech. It still never becomes internalized in any fashion, it always stays as an external performance, that relies too heavily on his supposed charisma, which frankly I just have never found to be that charming.

11 comments:

RatedRStar said...

I'm not surprised at all I imagine (and hope) Clooney gets a bad rating for his role in Syriana, I guess you don't like Clooney lol

Anonymous said...

Agreed, nothing special

Anonymous said...

I loathe him.

dshultz said...

I love George Clooney, but not his acting.

Tom said...

I thought he was believable because his character was supposed to be one we're not supposed to like, and Clooney already has that cocky image. Also the scenes he with the other actresses are an important part of the film because they are supposed to be even more unlikable than him, and I think the film works in that respect.

dinasztie said...

I liked him here very much.

joe burns said...

Diagree, I think he was very good, really good actually.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree with you more! He lacks so much depth and he's totally playing himself, I honestly don't know why he was nominated for so many awards and why the movie was so praised, there's really nothing remarkable about anything at all, I can see you dislike Clooney and I hate him as well, I don't think he's a talented performer at all, I honestly don't think he would be anywhere without that so called "charm". Such an overrated, mediocre performer, I can't stand him and how he won an Oscar for Syriana is just beyond me. I'm glad we agree so much! So either Renner or (hopefully) Firth for the win!

mrripley said...

CHARM i find him slimy and condescending and he basically shows up and says lines that's your lot,he never seems to engage with whats going on with other actors!!!,he was a tv star and they are never the best.

Anonymous said...

George Clooney is something of a cheap Hollywood stuntman. Thats why he "missed the Oscars." Rather Clooney did NOT merit an Oscar, except for the one big fish in his pants ! In "Gravity", G. Clooney's balls caused the space capsule to come closer to his arse ! Clooney was quite okay in Gravity but perhaps there was no one better than him at the time. George Clooney is no big time screen actor, even though he rakes in the money. Clooney is in movies FOR the money, what else ? In short, George Clooney is a bit of a cunt ! His ego gets the better of him.

Anonymous said...

George Clooney could learn a thing or two about Human Rights. There are millions worldwide, including the U.S.A, living on & below the poverty line. George Clooney has all these big multimillion dollar mansions while many of his "neighbours" live hand to mouth.In Rio De Janeiro, the Favela(poor) people are mainly in poverty.Likewise too in Bhutan, India, Europe even, Central America, South America etc. George will merely fly over to these people & tell them that he feels really sorry that things are bad for them. But G. Clooney is a multimillionaire today. And yet, he fucks around ! He doesn't give a rats behind about all those poor ones. Making millions of dollars for one's personal gain is NOT human rights. Would G. Clooney invite some destitute Los Angeles people over to his house for a meal ? NO, sir !
If he did, his arse would urinate & his cock would fart ! His charm is a big PR stunt. Rather than dropping his pants to expose his genitals, George Clooney turns on that stupid arsehole grin of his. His ego is like his cock. All wrapped up in himself !