Michael Clayton

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Michael Clayton

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Michael Clayton

George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O'Keefe

Michael Clayton (George 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...( read more  read more... ) at the behest of the firm's co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). Though burned out and hardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business venture and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. At U/North, meanwhile, 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 leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. But when Kenner Bach's brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) sabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life.

Id: 10420909

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Recent Reviews

Michael Clayton Recent Reviews
  • SirPant
    October 1, 2009
    SirPant
    A good original thriller, nicely directed by Gilroy and well acted by the cast. Clooney is on good form as usual but its Wilkinson and Swinton who really steal the show. Swinton's corporate villain is easily the best female baddie since Louise Fletcher's Nurse Mildred Ratched. He...( read more)r character is handled really well and is a good enough reason to watch the film alone!
  • Redlats
    September 28, 2009
    Redlats
    Is there such a thing as an honest lawyer? This movie struggles with that question. Could you defend a company that sell chemicals that poison its customers? This is an interesting movie to watch. I recommend it.
  • 76Majikat
    August 27, 2009
    76Majikat
    A dull and disappointing Action Thriller, that simply lacked umph and struggled to grasp my concentration.
  • allan913
    July 21, 2009
    allan913
    A tremendously entertaining and pulse-pounding thriller. It's gripping, riveting, exciting, explosive, genuinely thrilling and all the way exhilerating. Director, Tony Gilroy crafts a magnetic, intelligent and top-notch powerhouse of a film. It's shaply written and terifficly wel...( read more)l-crafted. George Clooney has never been better, he gives a powerful and unforgettable performance. Stealing the show in every outstanding way. It stands as one of his greatest performances ever. A complex and compelling character. A great cast of talents that all show what their made of. A great example of what superb acting is all about. Tilda Swinton is teriffic. Tom Wilkonson is brilliant. Sydney Pollack gives a fine performance. It serves up on it's hard-boiled story with insenity that wont quit. A strong film fuelled by rip-roaring tension. A solid, remarkable, smart, brilliant, mature and incrediably energetic edge of your seat film. Sizzeling, dazzeling, extroadinary and totally edge of your seat. A drilling, haunting, ingenious and satisfying conclusion. It grabs you and dosent let go. I loved this film and everything it brought to the table.
  • TheMachinist
    June 21, 2009
    TheMachinist
    "You're so fucked. Here let me get a picture while I'm at it."

    Academy Award nominations for directing, acting, writing, movie. So basically one of "The Movies" of the year 2007. Well, Oscars don't make films great, they're just awards that give some publicity but I'll admit the...( read more) hype worked on me. I wanted to see this, watched it and got a bit disappointed.

    There's a lot of talent behind the film. Tony Gilroy, in his directorial debut, wrote the 'Bourne' films, the producers of the film, Soderbergh, Minghella etc, are well known and know how to make successful movies and the actors are so called A-list actors. But like the "Dawg" from American Idol would say; "Didn't work for me."

    The film is another corporate law firm thriller that are bound to get positive reviews from critics. Well, I ain't no real critic, just a movie buff and, man, did I get bored and depressed during the film. Like Joker said from the 'Dark Knight'; "Why so serious?". Not a single smile, everyone's looking like they got "fucked in the ass by a roll of quarters" and the cinematography lenses varied from grey to supergrey. And that's a shame because the script seemed somewhat interesting. But I had difficulties to get my focus on.

    The acting was good and I'm pleased that one of my favourite actresses got credit for her performance but I'm pretty sure that I will not give this film another chance. It might deserve it, I might like it the next time but then again why bother when there's hundreds of films that give me pure entertainment rather than depressive visuals and thoughts.
  • buddyacker
    December 10, 2009
    buddyacker
    BOTTOM LINE: It's one of the most finely-crafter thrillers I've seen in quite some time.

    I am SOOOOO glad that I put aside my inhibitions and purchased "Michael Clayton" on DVD because the movie is awesome. It's one of those bass ackwards movies where the beginning is the end...( read more)ing and the ending explains the beginning, but nothing is really given away, which will make no sense at all until you see it. It is like so totally suspenseful, dude! In all seriousness, you will be biting your nails for a majority of the film. I won't give anything away, but things take a surprising turn a bit of the way in when tragedy strikes. That's when the movie goes from so-so to excellent.

    But is the story really what got me about "Michael Clayton?" In a way, yes, but it's the respective performances of George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson that elevate the material to an almost unbearable level of intensity. Clooney does his straight-to-the-point deal with his beautiful facial expressions like everyone is used to him doing and Wilkinson just controls every scene that he is in. He's just ultra terrific. Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, and Sean Cullen all do a great job in their roles as well.

    The 120 minutes go by so fast that you'll be surprised when the movie is over. You will be wishing for another hour after the closing Clooney-Swinton scene. Talk about cloak-and-dagger at its best. The credit sequence took me off-guard and it is very well done. Clooney sitting completely still with no dialogue can be captivating as well. My only regret is that I did not see the film while it was still in the theater. I missed out on a fascinating experience. "Heck yeah."

    Critics who agree:
    Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: "I don't know what vast significance Michael Clayton has (it involves deadly pollution but isn't a message movie). But I know it is just about perfect as an exercise in the genre."
    Score: **** (out of four)
    Why I agree: It IS about perfect, but to me, it lacks a little bit of something. There's nothing that stops it from being one of the best movies of all time, though.

    Claudia Puig, USA Today: "It's a rare film that can challenge our minds and rattle our nerves so profoundly. This is unequivocally a thriller for adults. A deftly written, tautly suspenseful and intellectually demanding morality tale."
    Score: **** (out of four)
    Why I agree: The movie wratchets up the intensity and hits you with so many waves of emotions that you will be feeling light-headed, in a good way, as a result.

    Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: "It's better than good; it's such a crackling and mature and accomplished movie that it just about restores your faith."
    Score: **** (out of four)
    Why I agree: Okay, I think that Mr. Gleiberman is being a little TOO nice to the movie, but like I said, there is nothing that should stop anybody from seeing it. He is right about it being mature; there's hardly a more mature movie out there.

    Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: "Michael Clayton is a here?s-how-it-happened drama, cleverly but not over-elaborately structured."
    Score: *** 1/2 (out of four)
    Why I agree: There was a movie that came out earlier in 2008 named "Vantage Point" that tried a similar approach and came out as a sloppy mess. "Michael Clayton" will show you how it's done.

    Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: "Deliberate, demanding and character-driven, Michael Clayton flies in the face of what sells at the multiplex. I couldn't have liked it more."
    Score: *** 1/2 (out of four)
    Why I agree: Its pacing is perfect once it hits its stride and the characters are exquisite.
  • tnoose
    December 7, 2009
    tnoose
    Intelligent but uninteresting!!
  • Topsie11
    November 26, 2009
    Topsie11
    definitely better than i thought it was. Excellent cast, wonderful acting from George Clooney. best interpretation about corruption and dirty work around the corporation.. michael clayton is a sheer manifestation of a clever film...one of the best of 2007...
  • Hallez
    November 24, 2009
    Hallez
    Basically he's a fixer, sorts you out in a pinch. However when he has to help a company cover up that their CEO has gone completely stark raving mad, suddenly he finds things going a little out of sorts and his life in danger.
  • mynameissupertramp
    November 17, 2009
    mynameissupertramp
    George Clooney had starred in some great movies (Three Kings, O Brother Where Art Thou, Out of Sight, Syriana, Good Night and Good Luck), but I hadn't paid him much mind until I saw this movie. The best performance, in my opinion, comes from Tom Wilkinson, who is delightfully MA...( read more)D! It was the movie that surprised me most in 2007, because I was predetermined to love a few and this wasn't on my radar at all.
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