| MICHAEL CLAYTON |
 2007 - USADirector: Tony Gilroy
- Reviewed by Linda
Edens has been working on a case for corrupt corporation uNorth for the last six years of his life. No let's say he's been investing years of his life for this huge multi-billion dollar case. But then Edens has suddenly realized his personal investment has actually been his soul. He has invested his entire adult life and his morals for cases like this, and this sudden, jarring realization makes him snap. Unfortunately for both the firm and uNorth, Edens snaps in an important meeting, freaking out, ripping off his clothes, and running across the parking lot naked. Ooops. Call in Michael Clayton (George Clooney). Clayton, a long-term employee of the firm (yet somehow not a partner after 16 years) is a good friend of Edens, but more importantly, he is the firm's "janitor". Clayton, over the years, has proven really adept at cleaning up messes. And Edens is a BIG disastrous mess. Clayton gets the uneasy feeling that though Edens is unhinged and off his meds, he may actually have discovered something really important about the uNorth case. Michael Clayton is a moody and somber piece. No one in the film seems to have a personal life, except Clayton's extended family, whom he visits for a birthday party, only to be called away by the ubiquitous "important phone call". People use each other until they are used up, and are therefore disposable. One of the more intriguing characters is Karen Crowder (played by the fabulous Tilda Swinton), uNorth's representative and power-player in the big case. She puts on a rock-solid front when faced with questions in the board room, but we are given peeks at her in her private moments, reciting over and over lines for the press, pulling awkwardly on her power suite, and drying out the sweat in her armpits over the blower in the bathroom. She, like most of the characters, slowly shatter throughout the movie, and it is cringe-worthy to watch. All the characters, despite their workplace success, have left the debris of their lives behind them in the form of broken marriages, huge debts, messed up relationships with their families, and what may turn out to be lifetimes of regret. Michael Clayton, despite its downer of a theme, is one of those movies that remains compelling from start to finish because of the excellent performances by its top notch cast. Wilkinson gets the showiest role, but Swinton wrings sympathy from an unsympathetic character, and Clooney keeps our interest with a slow-burn weariness. It is not surprising that all three actors walked away with Oscar nominations. DVD NOTESThe DVD of Michael Clayton includes deleted scenes with and without commentary. Some of the scenes give us glimpses into Clayton's personal life... and personally I'm glad these were cut. In the final cut of the film, you slowly start to realize that NONE of these characters have a personal life, making their sacrifices much more jarring. The DVD also includes a feature commentary by director Tony Gilroy and editor John Gilroy. |
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For all of its sheen, mood, and great acting, Michael Clayton is one of those movies that I can say I admire and respect without saying I really loved it. It's world of stressed lawyers, stressed corporate heads, and stressed neglected families. And the stress is a slow burn, like someone giving you and Indian burn on your arm by twisting your skin. But then of course, something needs to break. And in Michael Clayton, it is the high-powered attorney and law firm partner Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson).
