Michael Clayton

George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Austin Williams

Dir. Tony Gilroy
Scr. Tony Gilroy

Michael Clayton is a slow burning, intriguing legal thriller, not flawless but as fine a movie of its type as you’ll see this year. Clooney goes from strength to strength as an actor and in this film he is top-notch. With a strong supporting cast and a smarter-than-average script, you won’t be disappointed by Michael Clayton.

Michael Clayton is a “fixer”, a “janitor” – that guy in a law firm that makes a mess disappear. And what a mess he is faced with in this film – a senior partner strips off in a hearing and generally, well, goes bonkers while in charge of a case that has the potential, if unsuccessful, to bring the law firm down. Clayton is given the job of containing the crazy partner, who is perhaps not as crazy as it first appears. Without spoiling too much of the action, let’s just say there is murder, there is extortion, there’s an explosion (yay!), and there’s a healthy dose of second-guessing and intrigue. The pace may be a little slow in some places for adrenaline-junkie movie-goers, but it sits well with the complex story and gives us ample time to get to know the characters and care about what happens to them.

The acting in Michael Clayton is very good indeed – in particular, a triumvirate of exceptional performances. A brilliant turn from Wilkinson as the manic depressive Arthur Edens – there is no doubt this character is unbalanced but Wilkinson doesn’t let the role become too showy. He plays Edens with an undercurrent of intelligence and compassion. An equally fantastic performance from Swinton, who plays corporate counsel Karen Crowder, a woman thriving in a man’s world and, in the end, thriving just a little too well and a little too ruthlessly. Swinton has a magnetism about her. The final scene between her and Clayton is worth the price of admission. A very well deserved supporting actress Oscar win. And then we have George; lovely, lovely George. I truly believe that Clooney will be remembered in the same breath as the likes of Redford and Newman – an extremely talented leading man with much more than just good looks. And Michael Clayton is perhaps the best example of this – Clooney shines in the title role. Clayton is a morally ambiguous character and right until the final breath, we are not entirely sure on which side of the moral fence he will fall (perhaps it would have been more interesting if he fell on the opposite side than he did, but never mind). Clooney plays this flawed man superbly. In a weaker Oscar year, I would have put money on him winning.

This is not a perfect film, by any means, but it is one I heartily recommend. It’s a movie about ethics, about big business, about the lengths people will go to. If you’re in the mood for “27 Dresses”, don’t see this film. But if you want to be taken on a compelling and intriguing journey, see Michael Clayton.

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Michael Clayton: You are the senior litigating partner of one of the largest, most respected law firms in the world. You are a legend.

Arthur Edens: I'm an accomplice!

Michael Clayton: You're a manic-depressive!

Arthur Edens: I am Shiva, the god of death.