Ryan Bingham avoids commitment and connection.

He lives out of a suitcase, gives motivational speeches on how not to commit to others, and treats his relationships as nearly as disposable as the economy-sized supplies he encounters in countless airplanes and hotel rooms.

In the film “Up in the Air,” George Clooney plays the role of Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert whose job is to fire unsuspecting people from their jobs.

Bingham prefers a solitary life, referring to the airport as his home, and striving toward a goal of accumulating ten million frequent flyer miles.

His life is exactly the way he wants it, until, of course, Bingham’s company hires young Cornell graduate Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), who develops a new method of firing employees through Internet videos, making the hundreds of miles Bingham flies obsolete.

Bingham’s boss, Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman), gives Bingham the responsibility of taking the seemingly arrogant Keener on a cross country trip to show her the ropes of firing people.

But as Bingham attempts to also show Keener the faults in her new method, Keener brings to light the faults in Bingham’s shallow, detached way of living.

With witty dialogue and an unpredictable storyline, “Up in the Air” is a truly an original comedy that isn’t afraid to also delve into more serious topics.

Clooney evokes both sympathy and laughter as Bingham tries to find something in life more valuable than frequent flyer miles. Kendrick wins over the audience as her character’s hard exterior slowly gives way to her hopeful view of life.

The seemingly simple plot of the film takes an unexpected turn just when the audience least expects it, leading to a somewhat unresolved, although realistic, ending that still manages to retain the same charm as the rest of the movie.

Even though Bingham is up in the air about what he wants in life, the piece of advice he gives to his brother-in-law relates to him more than he initially realizes, and drives the major theme of the film: “Everyone needs a co-pilot.”

Nicky Hatzidmitriou can be reached for comment at [email protected]