Michael Clayton

Directed by: Tony Gilroy
Written by: Tony Gilroy
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O’Keefe, Robert Prescott

Score: 9/10

I can’t say I’ve been eagerly anticipating Michael Clayton, sure George Clooney is an awesome actor and someone who demands attention on screen, but the story seemed to be a little lackluster. The trailers made the film seem like typical Grisham-esque fare, the type of film we’ve seen countless times, it didn’t help that I’ve seen the trailer in front of almost every film for the last month. I can’t fault the film for that but it does make it lose any impact it’s supposed to have.

It didn’t matter what happened prior to watching Michael Clayton, whether it be the fact that I became bored with hearing about the film or that I didn’t think it looked very appealing. The opening scene is one of the best in any film this year and made me instantly forget about any hesitations I had. What makes the opening so brilliant is the simplicity behind it. Just shots of a downtown city at night, the streets are dead. It’s accompanied by an intense narration by Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), an attorney for a major law firm and someone who has been working on the same case for the last eight years. A class action lawsuit against U-North, one of the countries leading pesticide companies. If the entire film was just this narration I would have been satisfied.

Through this narration we learn that Arthur suspects U-North of covering up its mistakes, and being responsible for many deaths. Nobody is listening to him and under the weight of his conscious he snaps, stripping naked during a deposition. The law firm Arthur works for is obviously not pleased with the situation and sends in anther attorney to fix the mess. Michael Clayton (George Clooney), who calls himself a “janitor”, is an expert at cleaning up other people’s mistakes – think The Wolf in Pulp Fiction, only someone who doesn’t like what they do. Clayton has been at the law firm for almost twenty years, and yet hasn’t seen the inside of a court room for sometime. He’s divorced, in debt and faces a gambling addiction, when we meet him he’s as run down as you can get, and Clooney plays him like that excellently.

The biggest surprise about the film, and one that is a testament to first time director Tony Gilroy’s talent, is that it never plays out like you would expect it to. In films where it’s one man trying to take down the evil corporation it always seems to play out the same. Michael Clayton works so well because you’re in the dark for pretty much the whole film, sure you learn that U-North has done something really shady but Gilroy never sits you down and straight up lays out the details. You’re approaching everything like Clayton is, he just wants to try and clean the mess up, but gets caught up in something much bigger.

As mentioned above, this is Gilroy’s first directorial outing and for a first film it’s quite the accomplishment. There are however a few things that come off a bit forced and slow down the film. Clayton’s gambling addiction seems a bit unnecessary, especially when were already seeing him dealing with the large debt he’s in – a result of a restaurant failure. Also Tilda Swinton’s character, an executive at U-North trying to handle the situation, makes some quick decisions towards the end of the film that seem to be a bit rushed. It’s understandable for her character to crumble under the pressure of what’s just happened, but Gilroy could have handled it in a better way.

The funny thing about Michael Clayton is the fact that it didn’t really set in after I left the theatre of just how good a film I saw. It’s one of those films that just grows in you’re head, and gets better and better the more you think about it. It’s these kinds of films that become more enjoyable with multiple viewings, and I can’t wait to see it again.

Overall, Michael Clayton is one of the great fall films. Layered with amazing performances, writing and directing and an ending that blows you away - it’s the kind of film you can’t afford to miss.