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Michael Clayton [2007]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

George Clooney already has one acting Oscar to his name, and it’s unsurprising that immediately after the release of Michael Clayton, there were many arguing he was deserving of a second. For without a doubt, as impressive as the film is, it’s very much Clooney who powers this one forward.

Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who previously adapted the Bourne movies for the big screen, Clooney takes the title role as a lawyer who goes in to do the jobs that, bluntly, nobody else wants to know about. And before long, Clooney discovers a cover-up that proves to be a mighty challenge to uncover, and one the inevitably conflicts him as a result.

Aided by a superb supporting cast that includes the likes of Sydney Pollack, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton at its best is a tense and effective thriller, written and directed steadfastly well by Gilroy. It’s not without a few problems, most notably a comparably weak conclusion and one or two underdeveloped characters. But it’s still a worthwhile film, and very much worth seeking out to simply enjoy a terrific performance from a Hollywood leading man who absolutely refuses to shy away from edgier roles. Long may he continue to do so. --Jon Foster

Editorial
Synopsis

Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is what is known in the legal world as a 'fixer', or in the character's own pejorative version, a 'janitor' who cleans up legal messes for VIPs and corporations on behalf of a prestigious New York City law firm. A former litigator, Clayton has found a niche that capitalises on his legal acumen and shrewd people skills, and yet, after 13 years on the job, finds himself increasingly disgusted with his clientele. The film covers four pivotal days of his life, in which a midlife crisis and a crisis of conscience neatly converge when he is called in to 'fix' a situation unfolding in one of his firm's hottest cases. Brilliant lawyer Arthur Edens (another powerhouse performance by Tom Wilkinson), representing a huge agro-chemical corporation being hit by a class action suit, has a bipolar breakdown, compounded by guilt over his defence of a company that is probably in the wrong, but is wealthy enough to buy its innocence either way. The company's CEO (Tilda Swinton) will stop at nothing to keep Edens from sinking the case. Clayton must decide how much of Edens's mad rebellion against the company is sheer mental illness, how much is true, and how much it will cost him to do the right thing.
Clooney delivers a rich performance as a hangdog and haunted man who wants to stay on the side of good, but is a little too skilled at moral margin-walking to make that an easy choice in every situation. Swinton glows as a woman who somehow won't let a tortured conscience prevent her from getting ahead. The final third of the film is as suspenseful as any courtroom drama, without ever resorting to legal-thriller cliches.

Variation on an anti-capitalist Theme
Review date: 2008-08-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

There are so many films that capitalise on the whole anti-corporation theme in Hollywood - ironically a huge corporate entity in its own right. It's difficult therefore to make a neutral judgement on a film that highlights the corruption of a corporation, that highlights the lengths some corporations go to protect themselves. Unfortunately this film isn't quite sure how it wants to approach the issue. Somewhere in the film there's a line George Clooney utters at Tom Wilkinson, "you're making it too easy for them". In some ways this captures the central problem of the film. The Tom Wilkinson character, responsible for defending a large-scale corporation against a civil action suit, begins to crack up and - tragically makes it too easy to dismiss him and his feelings - both by the audience and the large corporation. If he had the intellectual fire Clooney repeatedly attributes to him then I would like to have seen that in action.

But we don't see it. Instead the film gets a bit convoluted - it brings in many other narrative threads which have no bearing on the main narrative and, I think, this ultimately dilutes the power of the story.

Having said that it is difficult to find much new ground in a well worn story. With Clooney resolving the film at the end in an upbeat way you do tend to feel we can all go back to our worlds and lives and not think about the issues in the film - Hollywood wants your money but not your thought. Clooney, who I have a lot of respect for, has made a better than average variation on the anti-capitalist theme.



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Reviews


Deliberately obscure?
Review date: 2008-08-25 Rating: 4 out of 10

I've noticed a trend recently of films that deliberately withhold information from the viewer so as to make the plot incredibly difficult to understand. This fools some into believing that the film is intelligent and well written. Personally I find such a device incredibly annoying. I don't want to have to spend two hours of my life wondering what the blue blazes is going on only to find at the end that the story is actually rather mundane and uninteresting. Sure I like films that have mystery and suspense but deliberately withholding information from the viewer just to try and confuse is bizarre. I didn't enjoy watching the film and at the end just felt cheated.

And the bit with the horses? Oh dear. We've lost him but let's push the button anyway. Very professional!

A thinking mans thriller (well you still need to capture attention)
Review date: 2008-08-09 Rating: 2 out of 10

This movie is too long and to uninteresting to entertain or even make you care.

It is rather sad really, Clooney is trying to go up against mainstream Hollywood by producing films that don't feed the viewer and make him think. But he still has to make the movie interesting.

Yes there are plenty of good and well done elements in there, but some we have seen before in a more believable story (Erin Brockovich), Tom Wilkinson does great acting as a madman who in madness maybe more sane than anyone. Tilda Swinton playes a painful role to perfection and Clooney is good as fixer for a law firm. But the outcome is a lot less than the sum of the parts. It is long and sideline stories are very unimportant and only serve to make the movie longer. You have little sympathy for almost any character, well there is Anna but you hardly get to know her. On the whole it becomes a disjointed story that just takes long to watch.

I was about to give it 2 stars for the better parts but decided against it, it is the one film in a long time I actually regreted watching. If you want a good film watch "Into the Wild" if you want a action go see "Dark Knight". Give this one a miss.

utter rubbish
Review date: 2008-07-21 Rating: 2 out of 10

Ok there are some slow moving films that build up to something and are intriguing and enjoyable overall but this is just awful tedious rubbish. I would rather watch paint dry than this. It has to be the biggest letdown of the year and one of the worst films I have ever seen.

It would appear from the number of reviews that people like it!
Review date: 2008-07-17 Rating: 10 out of 10

It is simply a great film. Fanatastic script, wonderful acting, thrilling story, brilliantly filmed and directed. That is all that needs to be said.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Tilda Swinton
Tom Wilkinson
Sydney Pollack
George Clooney

Creators:
George Clooney (Primary Contributor)
Tom Wilkinson (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Pathe Distribution
Manufacturer: Pathe Distribution
EAN: 5060002835838
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-02-18
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 115 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007
Language: English (Original Language)

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