Would Up In The Air still be a Best Picture contender if Jason Reitman hadn't cut its original, dream-sequence ending featuring George Clooney in a spacesuit? We'll never know. But if you're curious, it shows up on the DVD and Blu-ray, out March 9. What we learned from that deleted scene -- plus several others included in the release -- is that Reitman smartly pruned his film down to only the material that stayed true to his characters. Always open to sharing the secrets of his craft, Reitman's commentary track is not surprisingly in-depth, and bridges the gaps between the Walter Kirn-penned book the film is based on, the deleted scenes, and the final cut.
The rest of the disk features offer little in the way of actual added value. There's an interview with the creators of the snappy opening title sequence, two trailers, plus a music video of Sad Brad Smith's "Help Yourself" that adds up to little more than a third trailer. With a supporting cast that includes Zach Galifianakis, Jason Bateman and Danny McBride, one would have hoped for some comic relief in the way of outtakes or interviews, but no such luck. A ray of light in the form of an extra labeled "American Airlines Prank" (Clooney is, after all, a noted jokester on his film sets) turned out to be a scene simulating rough turbulence; it was shot to give the PR flacks at American, one of the film's marketing partners, a heart attack. Call it a gag reel gone corporate. Gag indeed.
Up In The Air DVD Extras:
· Shadowplay Studio: Before the Story
· Sad Brad Smith's "Help Yourself" Video
· Storyboards
· Deleted Scenes
· American Airlines Prank
· Teaser & Theatrical Trailers
Amazon Blu-ray Price: $27.99
Amazon DVD Price: $16.99