This is a movie about consumerism. When we first meet our main character, he is consumerism incarnate. He eats all the fanciest foods, sleeps in the finest hotels, flies in nothing less than first class and he does it all with credit cards that have no limit. He spends and buys without any thought for tomorrow and with apathy for everyone else in the world. All he knows of the outside world is which brands to buy from. His entire life can be summed up with the contents in his trusty suitcase and the cards in his wallet. While he may not indulge in buying houses he doesn’t live in, cars he doesn’t drive or electronic gizmos he’ll throw away and replace the instant they’re obsolete, he’s still spending toward something even more arbitrary and excessive: Obtaining a number of frequent flier miles that only six before him have reached.

This is a movie about connections. To some degree — even in the world of Facebook, teleconferencing and ubiquitous cross-country traveling — we still have a deep and indescribable need for face-to-face conversation. George Clooney successfully plays on this need, just long enough to be a pro at what he does. Anna Kendrick, Clooney’s unwitting protege, tries to quantify this need.

This is a movie about love. It’s something all of us strive for without really knowing why. It’s something that Clooney tries to avoid until he’s forced to experience its greatest joys and hardest pains.

This is a movie about destinations. It’s about the strange contradiction that happens when we only really want something until we have it. But most of all…

This is a movie about change. We open the movie by seeing exasperated employees getting laid off. We end the movie by seeing those same employees — bowed but unbroken — saying how they got through their difficulties with the help of friends and family. On a similar note…

This is a movie about journeys. In fact, if I had to describe this movie in three words, it would be “sink or swim.” As a species, we have to keep moving forward, either physically or emotionally. If we ever stop moving forward and maturing, then we stop living. No matter how heavy our lives may be, we have to keep carrying it.

This is a movie with an outstanding cast. George Clooney totally sells this movie. Zach Galifianakis has a brief but very funny role. Danny McBride’s role is only slightly longer, but he plays off Clooney like a champ. The female leads acquit themselves well, though Kendrick did overact a touch at times. Jason Bateman laid on the sleaze a touch thick, but his performance was still serviceable.

This is a movie with horrible pacing. Especially in the back half. It seemed like all of Clooney’s most important development points were crammed into the second half of this movie. It got to the point where I got lulled into thinking that I was watching the denouement, only to realize that another climax was unfolding. The ending just dragged. Still…

This is a movie worth seeing. The performances are very good and the thematic depth is wonderful. Moreover, Jason Reitman can shape characters like few others in this industry. He knows how to make lifelike characters, he knows how to guide you into liking them and he’s not afraid to let them break your heart. Even when he’s mediocre, Jason Reitman is still damn good.