Equates serious inquiry with inert filmmaking
Michael Clayton (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:189
Fresh:170
Rotten:19
Average Rating:7.6/10
Consensus: Michael Clayton is one of the most sharply scripted films of 2007, with an engrossing premise and faultless acting. Director Tony Gilroy succeeds not only in capturing the audience's attention, but holding it until the credits roll.
Runtime: 2 hrs
Genre: Law/Lawyers, Thriller, Mental Illness, Divorce, Theatrical Release
Theatrical Release:Oct 12, 2007 Wide
Box Office: $48,976,323
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... 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 capitalizes 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 defense 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 secretly frail Amazon 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. [More]
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack
Director: Tony Gilroy
Director: Tony Gilroy
Screenwriter: Tony Gilroy
Producer: Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox, Steve Samuels, Kerry Orent
Composer: James Newton Howard
Studio: Warner Bros.
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Reviews for Michael Clayton
Clooney's latest venture into panache is thriller style in Michael Clayton.
Malo je gledatelja koji od prve ne%u0107e shvatiti tko su u filmu pozitivci a tko negativci.
A killer voice-over by Tom Wilkinson sets the tone for this dramatic thriller, and you're willing to go on the journey even if you don't understand it all the time.
The cast is outstanding, with Clooney giving the strongest performance of his career, which says a lot since he already has an Oscar
A serviceable drama/thriller that starts a little slow, but ultimately gets into a nice rhythm.
Clooney's glamorous intelligence is deepened by his constant hints that slickness, like corporate integrity, is just an act.
A straight-ahead suspense melodrama, complete with villain and a climax with satisfyingly clean lines. But Gilroy constantly elevates the material with surprise gifts. [Blu-Ray review]
a thriller of the most sophisticated type, playing the macrocosm of Clayton's professional problems against the microcosm of the soul he thought he had conveniently compartmentalized
Michael Clayton, The Re-Release: Suits in deadly combat may not sound like the ideal setup for an action thriller, especially if the labels are of the pricey designer variety. But hey, this is George Clooney, who isn't half bad no matter what he's wearing
By now, George Clooney is so smooth, he could be a brand name like Gillette or Ex-Lax.
Clooney is just one of a stellar cast perfectly suited to their roles, with Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson and Sydney Pollack sharing his command of the material whenever they're on screen.
Un drama en clave de thriller sobre la corrupción corporativa, a medio camino entre El Informante y Erin Brockovich. Estupendo debut en la dirección del guionista Tony Gilroy.
Gilroy demonstra segurança invejável na condução da narrativa e na concepção estética do filme.
...a success because the actors work hard (but not too hard) to convey a sense of genuine investment in the onscreen problems, and because the rest of the behind-the-scenes technicians do immaculate, invisible work
Latest News for Michael Clayton
May 11, 2009:
RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
One of the most diverse and celebrated talents of her generation, the directors on Tilda Swinton's CV represent a veritable who's who of independent cinema and include David... More...
May 27, 2008:
Sydney Pollack: A Retrospective
With two Oscar wins and plenty more nominations under his belt, Sydney Pollack was a filmmaker that Hollywood admired. He was also a proven actor's director whose fruitful... More...
May 26, 2008:
Sydney Pollack dies aged 73
Academy Award-winning director, producer and actor, Sydney Pollack, dies aged 73. More...
April 11, 2008:
Script Review: Tony Gilroy's Duplicity ![]()
Tony Gilroy's follow-up to Michael Clayton -- the Clive Owen/Julia Roberts-led Duplicity -- is filming now, and Latino Review is offering a review of the script. More...
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