For months I’ve beenyapping about this girl– Anna Kendrick’s performance inUp In The Airis so impressive, she’s already being buzzed about as a possible Best Supporting Actress nominee, she’s been named one of the Top 25 to watch, and she’ll receive the Rising Star Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival in January.
I screenedUp In The Airin September at TIFF. It is pitch perfect. More on this later, closer to the release date. During the festival I also interviewed Anna for etalk. She’s very smart, delightful, and overwhelmed, and thoughtful, much too thin, and feels embarrassed about that photo that was eventually disseminated everywhere of Robert Pattinson licking her face. Poor thing was probably attacked by Twi-Hards for that.
Anna, Vera Farmiga, and Jason Reitman were in London yesterday promoting Up In The Air at the London Film Festival. Up In The Air will open December 4th, earlier than originally anticipated due to strong test reactions, and the entire cast will be heading back to North America after a European push in the next few weeks to officially begin what’s expected to be a very strategic award season campaign.
They will push for George for Best Actor for sure. Right now there’s some consideration to slot Vera into the fight for Best Actress instead of pitting Vera and Anna against each other in the Supporting category, even though Vera’s part may not be meaty enough. If they have to choose between the two however, it’ll be interesting to see who comes out ahead. Because Kendrick’s is without a doubt the stronger performance.
Up In The Airis a subtle film. It doesn’t live its emotions on the surface. It’s a carefully calibrated achievement; some are calling it Reitman’s masterpiece, quite a compliment for a man who’s only just directed his 3rd movie. This subtlety is reflected in the performances. Don’t expect chest heaving and hair ripping. Hype doesn’t have to come with histrionics.
Up In The Air 2nd trailer
Photos from Samir Hussein/Gettyimages.com
