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Michael ClaytonGeorge Clooney already has one acting Oscar to his name, and it's unsurprising that immediately after the release of Michael Clayton, there were many arguing he was deserving of a second. For without a doubt, as impressive as the film is, it's very much Clooney who powers this one forward.
Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who previously adapted the Bourne movies for the big screen, Clooney takes the title role as a lawyer who goes in to do the jobs that, bluntly, nobody else wants to know about. And before long, Clooney discovers a cover-up that proves to be a mighty challenge to uncover, and one the inevitably conflicts him as a result. Aided by a superb supporting cast that includes the likes of Sydney Pollack, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton at its best is a tense and effective thriller, written and directed steadfastly well by Gilroy. It's not without a few problems, most notably a comparably weak conclusion and one or two underdeveloped characters. But it's still a worthwhile film, and very much worth seeking out to simply enjoy a terrific performance from a Hollywood leading man who absolutely refuses to shy away from edgier roles. Long may he continue to do so. --Jon Foster |
Average User Rating: 60% (71 Reviews) | |
| 5 / 5 | Slow-burning masterpiece of corruption
Trevor Stafford "T Stafford" (Ipswich) - 29 March 2008 This film takes time to build its characters, which must be why it has garnered some less positive reviews. Take the time to get involved - it's worth it. There IS a compelling storyline, and this, combined with first-class performances from Clooney, Swinton & Wilkinson, works to produce one of the best films to come out of America in years. If you need crash, bang wallop every frame instead of every sixth frame, watch something else; for those with an interest in strong characterization, psychology and just a little social comment, sit back and enjoy. ... Read Full Review » |
| 4 / 5 | Thoughtful and Challenging
sainte-carmen (London) - 4 December 2007 This film makes a worthy investment on DVD. It's filled with strong performances, excellent writing and richly developed characters. I won't bother with a plot summary, but needless to say, it's quite complicated and fast-moving. This is one of those rare Hollywood films that acknowledges moral ambiguities. George Clooney is particularly good. His performance shows he is back on form, portraying a likeable but conflicted character. Tilda Swindon's performance is astonishingly naturalistic and convincing. Ultimately this story achieves a fairly predictable conclusion, but it is still well worth watching and re-watching. ... Read Full Review » |
| 5 / 5 | Superb thriller. Clooney at his best
Hooligween "Rowena the Red" (Kernow, Great Britain) - 27 November 2007 Think of Erin Brockovitch meets Danny Ocean with a sniff of Jason Bourne and you've got the gist of Michael Clayton. It's a modern thriller set in the world of corporate shenanigans, where a shady fixer finally rejects a life of double-dealing and scurrilous deeds. Clooney is superb as the title character, who once was a lawyer and whose brother is a law officer, but who somehow has lost his way and bends the rules all the time as 'fixer' for a huge firm of corporate lawyers, who are always in pursuit of another billable hour. Clayton has another brother, a loser, who has racked up debts and who has wiped out Clayton's savings in the process. The complex plot weaves together Clayton's personal story with a class action lawsuit, similar to the tale told in Erin Brockovitch, and follows Clayton's journey to redemption... via personal loss and extreme jeopardy. Clayton himself is a compulsive gambler -- can he forgive his brother and find forgiveness for himself? The director wrote the fast-paced Bourne trilogy, and Michael Clayton is just as tightly-scripted and hair-trigger tense, but the pace is more considered and less rushed. Much of the action goes on internally, so don't expect great car chases, shouting and shooting. You have to think about what's going on and follow Clayton's emotional response to the situation that blows up in his face. Tilda Swinton is utterly superb as the bad guy (girl). She's a grim, ambitious litigator who will stop at absolutely nothing to avoid losing her company's case. She's so highly strung she almost shatters; there's a stunning scene with her in the rest rooms, nearly coming apart at the seams under huge stress. But the star is Clooney and he carries the film superbly. There are many beautiful and carefully composed shots -- look out for the poignant scene with the horses in particular -- and it all comes together in an entirely satisfactory and fulfilling resolution. OK, so maybe the ending is just a little bit too good to be true. But we'd like to believe in this kind of thing, so I didn't mark it down for that! 100% recommended viewing.... Read Full Review » |
| 3 / 5 | Eh...
B. "go on, take my advice - you know you want to..." - 25 February 2008 Ok entertainment, but nothing to write home about. Clooney plays the usual - a man on the brink of moral bankruptcy who somehow finds his humanity in the nick of time. In the case of Michael Clayton the hype never quite lives up to the final product. |
| 3 / 5 | Stylish but insubstantial
L. Davidson (Belfast, N.Ireland) - 8 May 2008 "Michael Clayton" is a moderately entertaining thriller about a New York legal "fixer" who gets embroiled in what turns out to be a sordid case involving a large multinational whose agricultural products are suspected of causing disease and death. A crazed lawyer defending the organisation uncovers incriminating evidence against them and Michael Clayton gets called in to assist after this lawyer has a psychotic episode. The film is slow moving, cluttered with underdeveloped characters and is frequently somewhat dull. The ending of the film is revealed at the start and this takes away any suspense that gets built up as the film heads towards its rather lame conclusion. George Clooney puts in a good performance as Michael Clayton but the film overall is fairly forgettable.... Read Full Review » |
RRP
£20.00
Release Date
18 February 2008
Price Range
£4.99 - £14.99