George Clooney stars as
Michael Clayton – a mysterious figure at a prestigious Manhattan
law firm. When
fellow lawyers or powerful clients get
into trouble, it’s Michael who fixes the situations with his
myriad of
connections and encyclopedic knowledge of the law, but he’s
about to face a
bigger challenge than anyone could have imagined.
The firm’s top
litigator and
someone close to Michael, Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), has lost
control of his
faculties while defending one of the firm’s largest clients. It’s an
agri-business firm that has been
accused of selling a product that caused cancer in farmers,
which puts
millions of dollars and plenty of reputations at stake, so Michael
needs to
weave his magic in ways he can’t even fathom.
Can Michael get Arthur under
control before it is too late? Should
he?
Michael
Clayton is one of
the most amazing, dramatic, tension-filled movies of 2007, and one I
can’t wait
to see again. Writer/director
Tony
Gilroy constantly challenges the audience to think and play detective
as we
follow all sorts of twists and turns to determine who knows the truth,
what
they are willing to do to cover it up and whether or not Edens has gone
off the
deep end and who he might hurt in the process.
Gilroy presents a familiar tale about
how far people will
go to protect their power, money and prestige, but does it in a way
that still
shocks you when needed. However,
he also
makes it a wonderful tale about the challenge or conundrum Clayton
faces as he
must determine where his ultimate loyalty lies.
To the firm? To his friend who needs help? To the client? To the truth?
None of these are easy choices, and Gilroy
rarely makes it obvious or easy as we
wonder what should be done.
As a director, Gilroy
fantastically structures
Michael
Clayton
to show us what happens, takes us back to see how we got there, then
drives
us forward to the awesome climax.
You
have to pay attention to all of the details to understand what is
happening,
but these actors make it worth the effort.
Clooney does an
extraordinary job playing off the story’s ethical challenge
to his character by
showing us how Clayton is the ultimate conflicted man full of guilt,
doubt,
regret and a crusading spirit. It
is one
of those performances where Clooney just always seems to know the
exact,
correct tone to set, when to be bold, when to show Clayton’s
fear and when to
make us realize this guy is just as confused as we are at the moment.
I know Clooney is the star,
and he does a great job, but Wilkinson is the guy who makes Michael
Clayton
so
amazing. He is
outright awesome as Gilroy wisely
starts the
movie with a frantic monologue by Wilkinson that ropes you in within
the first
30 seconds, and made my jaw drop as I realized I was in for something
special. Wilkinson
has you on the edge of your seat as
we watch him seemingly come unglued throughout the movie, but emerge
with
enough clarity and sense of purpose to make the audience realize and
appreciate
what a skilled and sharp mind Arthur possesses.
Even Tilda Swinton will blow
you away. She is so
perfect that you
understand where her character is coming from and all about her life
and career
just by watching her every move. Gilroy
doesn’t give us much explanation about her career, background
or anything else,
yet, you don’t need it because Swinton gives the audience
amazing insight into
her by the way she moves, how she rehearses an answer in the bathroom
mirror,
reacts to the growing stakes and more.
We have seen several
possible and wannabe Oscar contenders this year, but Michael
Clayton
is the sure
thing. See it
immediately and
often.
4 Waffles
(Out of 4)
Michael
Clayton is
rated R for language including some sexual dialogue.
Copyright
2007 - WaffleMovies.com
