Flicks, Andrew Hedley
A terrifically acted character study that offers little else to reward the movie-goer, except perhaps a nagging sense of being an idiot.
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Michael Clayton
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 at the behest of the firm's co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). Though hardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business venture and mounting debt have left Clayton 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 the firm’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.
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 the firm’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.
Best Supporting Actress (Swinton) at the Academy Awards and BAFTAs in 2008
2008Rating: M, Contains Violence & Offensive Language120 minsUSA
Thriller
- Director:
- Tony Gilroy (Feature debut)
- Writer:
- Tony Gilroy
- Cast:
- George ClooneyTilda SwintonTom WilkinsonSydney PollackSean CullenMichael O'Keefe
Michael Clayton / Reviews
Variety
Features strong performances and a solid story, drawn from the familiar well of faceless corporations grinding ordinary people through their profit-making machinery. Yet Gilroy's fidelity to his script comes at the expense of the pacing...
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A taut psychological thriller with crisp killer dialogue and complete with one of the most satisfying endings in a long time.
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Hollywood Reporter
As with the Bourne films, Gilroy has a knack for creating strong characters and situations that resonate with tension. It may be formula, but the guy is a solid chemist as he crafts excellent set-ups and payoffs...
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Empire Magazine
This offers moments of suspense, some pointed scenes and star charisma, but it’s also a touch confused. Heads will be scratched before they roll.
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Dominion Post
There's nothing wrong with this slick, much-plaudited movie – how can there be when Time magazine's film critic named it his best from last year? But what was most fascinating about it for me was that in a world of indecent salaries and vast bonuses there's a job that exists like Clayton's – smoothing things out, match- making client and lawyer – and that in this movie at least it was paid relatively badly.
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Christchurch Press
It's all held together by the magnetic presence of George Clooney, however, who manages to be compelling even when he's just sitting in the back of a taxi, staring straight ahead.
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BBC
Corporate evil plots are nothing to write home about, but what lifts Michael Clayton are the star turns from Clooney, Wilkinson and finally Tilda Swinton's hard-ass litigator for U-North. Similarly, those in charge of cinematography, editing and music all do their job with large doses of polish. It's all very smooth, but the problem is it's also a bit anodyne and unlikely to hold up in comparisons to Clooney's other 'serious' films, whose stories have more to offer underneath the polish...
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