Michael Clayton Review

"Michael Clayton" reviews

Movie

Michael Clayton

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-02-13 00:14:13

Rating

4/5

Provider

CinemaSource

Review

Filled with wonderfully conflicted characters, Michael Clayton is a masterful legal thriller that never misses a beat. A true diamond in the rough.

Story

Think The Insider meets Erin Brockovich. George Clooney plays the title character, a lawyer who, instead of practicing law, has become an in-house "fixer" at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. Any little nasty detail they want swept under the carpet, Clayton is their man--from hit-and-runs and damaging stories in the press to shoplifting wives and crooked politicians. He'd like to quit, but unfortunately he's inextricably tied to the firm, especially to partner Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). But when the firm's top litigator, Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), has an apparent breakdown and exposes the underbelly of a huge class-action suit against U-North--an agrochemical company the firm is supposed to be representing--Clayton gets his toughest assignment to date. He is told to get Arthur under control before he sabotages the case any further, but in tackling this unprecedented disaster, Clayton realizes Arthur isn't all that crazy. Suddenly, Clayton comes face to face with the reality of who he has become.

Acting

This is where Michael Clayton shines. All the performances are spot-on, starting with Clooney as the title protagonist. It isn't that Clooney has to really stretch in Clayton, as he did in his Oscar-winning Syriana performance, but that he plays damaged goods better than most. His Clayton is a study in conflicted behavior--a gambleholic, burnt-out on having to cleaning up his firm's messes, divorced and trying to be a good dad to his precocious son. The best part? He isn't necessarily "fixed" at the end of the movie. Then we have the two spectrums of good vs. evil: Wilkinson turns in another amazing performance as the film's conscience. The veteran actor gets all the best Oscar-worthy speeches, especially the one he gives off-camera explaining the moment he found "clarity." And on the opposite end, there's Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles of Narnia), playing Karen Crowder, one of U-North's mucky mucks. Her insecurities and rash decisions fuel Michael Clayton's action. In the end, however, no one comes off smelling sweet.

Direction

Tony Gilroy certainly knows a thing or two about writing smart, character-driven pieces, having penned all three of the Bourne screenplays as well as films like Dolores Claiborne. Now, with Michael Clayton, he has finally decided to take the helm for the first time, backed by the full support of executive producer George Clooney—and he couldn't have picked a better choice for his debut film. Michael Clayton isn't one of those legal thrillers in which you are looking for a twist to keep you guessing. There isn't anything visually startling about it, either--no shaky camera technique like Gilroy's Bourne colleague Paul Greengrass. What Gilroy concentrates on instead is the power of his actors' performances. For example, the director cuts between a nervous Karen getting ready in her hotel room before a giving a presentation and her actual poised speech, or intimately shows Clayton having a poignant conversation with his son in his car. Everything fits seamlessly within the context of the action. It's an absolute tour-de-force—and surefire Oscar contender.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 4 stars.

Copyright © CinemaSource 2008.

Movie

Michael Clayton

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-09-21 14:40:41

Provider

MRIB

Review

The directorial debut by the screenwriter of the three Bourne movies, Tony Gilroy, sees Clooney leave behind the golden touch of Danny Ocean in favour of this intelligent thriller in which he plays the titular criminal lawyer at one of Manhattan’s top law firms.

Michael Clayton (Clooney) is an in-house "fixer" at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen's dirtiest work at the behest of the firm's cofounder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). Clayton is burnt-out - a divorce, debt, fatherhood and discontent at work have left him a shell of a man - yet he can't bring himself to leave the firm. Elsewhere in the city, at a firm called U/North, the career of litigator Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) rests on the multi-million dollar settlement of a class action suit that Clayton's firm is seemingly about to win. But when Kenner Bach's talented but guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) sabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life.

Gilroy sets a decent pace, allowing the story to unfold slowly, introducing numerous sub-plots and side characters, but artfully tying up all the lose ends for a climatic final scene - although you need to be alert to keep on top of the twists and turns of the plot. Watching the pangs of guilt set in to these ruthless lawyers is satisfying, and Clooney's performance is a joy to behold. Playing a refreshingly different character, Clooney rises to the occasion, while Swinton is quite his on-screen equal.

The biggest downside is the corporate law jargon, which if you're not a lawyer yourself, will leave you confused. Still, the great cast make this suspense thriller - which is a must-see for any Clooney fan.

Copyright © MRIB 2007.