Michael Clayton Review
by Steve Rhodes (steve DOT rhodes AT internetreviews DOT com)October 12th, 2007
MICHAEL CLAYTON
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2007 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
Featuring some of the strongest performances this year, MICHAEL CLAYTON is a legal thriller with shades of THE FIRM and of ERIN BROCKOVICH. A rarely better George Clooney, in a performance likely to be remembered at Oscar time, gets the juicy role of Michael Clayton, a professional "fixer," or janitor as Clayton prefers to call his niche.
Although he has worked for 17 years at one law firm, Clayton has never made partner, but, as his boss Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack in a terrific performance) attempts to reassure him, his skills as the go-to guy to clean up messes is an invaluable skill that is widely respected within the firm where Clayton works.
Clayton, however, is anything but pleased with how his life, either professionally or personally, is going. The movie is filmed in dark, somber tones, which perfectly captures Clayton's mood. He's a sad figure, who has forgotten how to form a smile. And, although he has a widely respected gift for solving problems at work, his life away from the office is an absolute disaster. He has a gambling problem, and his attempt to start his own restaurant was a financial debacle. His love life is loveless, and, although he takes care of his son, he clearly feels awkward in his father role.
Meanwhile, back at the office, Clayton's law firm has been devoting most of its resources to defending a pharmaceutical company against a billion dollar lawsuit. This class action mega-case has been going on for six years now with deposition after deposition. It's rather like the never ending case from Charles Dickens's "Bleak House."
As we join the case, Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), its lead investigator, has just gone bonkers, taking off all of his clothes during a deposition. Of course, Clayton is flown in so that he can try to get things back on course again. But Edens, a manic depressive who has refused to take his meds anymore, has a guilty conscience and wants to help the other side.
Tilda Swinton, in a scene stealing performance, plays Karen Crowder, the lead counsel for the pharmaceutical firm. A succeed-at-all-cost personality, Crowder is as nervous as she is daring and demented.
Although the performances are all nothing short of amazing, writer Tony Gilroy, in his directorial debut, sets a languid pace that had members of our audience snoozing off and spending lots of time looking at their watches. Still, the story is always interesting even if needlessly drawn out and overstuffed with lots of filler scenes. Frankly, I think Clooney's performance alone is worth the price of admission. I sure hope he does get a much deserved Oscar nod for his work here.
MICHAEL CLAYTON runs 1:59. It is rated R for "language including some sexual dialogue" and would be acceptable for teenagers.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, October 12, 2007. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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