A potent legal thriller - far too overlooked!

"I'm not a miracle worker, I'm a janitor. The math on this is simple. The smaller the mess the easier it is for me to clean up."

Contemporary Hollywood thrillers are distinctly separated into two categories: visceral thrillers (which are dependent on action to generate tension and excitement), and intellectual thrillers (which rely on smart plot twists, dialogue and fascinating characters). Michael Clayton, the directorial debut of screenwriter Tony Gilroy, firmly belongs in the latter category. Prior to writing and directing this masterful thriller, Gilroy was primarily recognised for scripting the Jason Bourne movies. Michael Clayton is a breath of fresh air in modern-day Hollywood. Gilroy is of a dying breed; a screenwriter capable of penning intelligent blockbusters (The Bourne Ultimatum) and intellectual thrillers (like the film in question). Michael Clayton unfolds at its own pace and permits few concessions to impatient viewers or those not paying attention. Gilroy's script implores a viewer to contemplate every inch of film on offer, and connect the dots without much assistance. Michael Clayton is essentially a legal thriller that unites a tense battle of wits and a sinister government conspiracy. It's ardently dialogue-driven, thus action junkies are advised to avoid at all costs.

Michael Clayton (Clooney) is an in-house "fixer" for one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. He's an important asset to said firm - the go-to guy when clients are in hot water. When things go south, Michael is appointed to clean it up. He's at the top of his field, but he abhors his job and wants out.
U-North is among the leading clients of Michael's law firm. They're a chemical company locked in a six-year long class action lawsuit against a group of people who have contracted cancer as a result of the company's pesticides. For U-North, the case look promising until lead attorney Arthur Edens (Wilkinson) suffers a nervous breakdown and is struck with an attack of guilt. He's smitten with one victim (Wever), and begins assembling evidence to prove U-North's guilt. Michael's boss - Marty Bach (Pollack) - orders Michael to intervene and resolve the situation.
U-North's primary litigator - Karen Crowder (Swinton) - grows suspicious of Arthur and Michael; believing they could cause the lawsuit to crumble. She therefore begins her own investigations. The potential three billion dollar lawsuit would be enough to break U-North, and the company are willing to do anything to ensure their best interests are served. But a corporate battle quickly transforms into something much more sinister, and the assignment to clean up the Arthur situation turns out to be a job Michael shouldn't have accepted.

"This is a three billion dollar class action lawsuit. In the morning, I have to call my board. I have to tell them that the architect of our defense was arrested for running naked in the street. What sickness is he talking about?"

The central intrigue driving the plot is that U-North is unmistakably guilty. Furthermore, both the corporation and the law firm are completely aware that U-North is guilty. However the law firm's allegiances lie in the highest bidder - they are being paid millions to defend U-North, and are therefore keen to do so. But in the middle of this situation is the unstable Arthur Edens who now holds the smoking gun.

Michael Clayton builds to an apt conclusion that doesn't employ surprise twists or cheap theatrics. It develops progressively and remains entrenched in the real world as opposed to the realm in which thrillers commonly unspool. The film presents a derogatory proclamation about the profit-above-all business traditions of major corporations. If there's a sole flaw in the story, it's that Michael's motivations occasionally seem influenced by the needs of the plot.

"You're my meal ticket, Marty. If you leave, it's just me and Barry in a room and I'm trying to explain what the hell it is I do around here."

Michael Clayton is predominantly a film about characters who inhabit the grey area linking morality and immorality, where everyone holds a diverse perception of the constituents of ethics. These characters are not "good" or "evil" - they are the outcome of choices (some right, some wrong).
Marty knows that a majority of his key clients harbour untold secrets, but by representing them they earn big bucks and the firm is kept afloat.
Karen Crowder is prepared to do practically anything in order to conceal the misdemeanours of her company.
Arthur's crisis of conscience prompts a confrontation of principles and morality. He can no longer dismiss the happenings around him when he has become part of a machine that defends a company that's causing people to die of cancer.
Michael's job as a "fixer" means he must often turn a blind eye to nasty situations. He is trapped in the middle - caught between his underdeveloped perception of right and wrong, and his requirement for financial stability.

Gilroy doesn't dole out the intricate plot in easy-to-digest portions. The script is loaded with stilted dialogue and an ambiguous ending that begs the audience to draw their own conclusions. Too many contemporary thrillers connect the dots for the audience by inserting a quick montage or another similarly silly technique. Michael Clayton doesn't do this; it's a breed of movie that demands us to keep up with the story and characters, the unexpected twists, and the occasionally superfluous subplots. Although an onslaught of subplots may slow the pace and confuse the audience, it reminds us of the film's true nature: it's a study of the main character. Naming the film after Michael Clayton is an indication that the primary story concerns the central character, his difficulties, and his career (which he dislikes). In hindsight, the narrative is weaved together beautifully. In fact repeated screenings are imperative in order to efficiently absorb everything and realise the film's true brilliance. Michael Clayton expects more from an audience than most contemporary motion pictures.

Tony Gilroy's talent for writing intelligent and detailed stories evolves with Michael Clayton. He has served as a screenwriter for a large part of his career. With Gilroy helming this particular project in addition to writing it, this is a personal endeavour. While Gilroy generously scattered exhilarating action sequences throughout his scripts for the Bourne series, Michael Clayton offers little to no action. Thankfully, the freshmen director shows maturity in his work; crafting a stylish and slick thriller that rivets through the intelligent script and well-drawn characters. Gilroy doesn't adopt the quick-cutting and "shaky cam" techniques of Paul Greengrass, instead embracing a more classical method. Collaborating with the accomplished cinematographer Robert Elswit (who previously worked on Syriana and Magnolia, just to name a couple), Gilroy employs steady, ominous establishing shots in addition to measured editing that emphasises tension during conversations. Masterful lighting divides the brooding sterility of Michael Clayton's business world from the hospitable warmth of a family home and the eerie silence of a sweeping field at dawn. Gilroy has constructed a tense and taut thriller that builds to a gripping conclusion and showcases his ability as a top-tier screenwriter. Michael Clayton is Tony Gilroy's movie and while Clooney places forth an incredible performance, the success of this excellent film is thanks to Gilroy's laudable exertions. Additionally, James Newton Howard's beautifully haunting, evocative and atmospheric score is yet another layer of magnificence.

Michael Clayton breaks conventions by flaunting the charismatic George Clooney in the title role. As a morally compromised lawyer, Clooney exceeds all expectations - the actor bestows the character with intelligence, confidence and humanity. This superbly subdued performance earned Clooney an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Clooney commands the frame; exuding charisma and confidence. It's been stated before that cinematic acting requires subtlety, and that the simplest glance or faintest gesture is magnified a hundredfold when committed to the medium of film. Clooney evidently understands this principal. A prime example of this is the extraordinary closing credits as the camera intently examines Clooney riding in the back of a taxi. This magnificent actor delivers a multi-faceted and totally nuanced portrait of a man whose life is in turmoil and is therefore compelled to adapt.

The supporting characters are fleshed-out skilfully and played flawlessly. Tom Wilkinson collected an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Even though he lost, Wilkinson's performance is convincing and focused. His opening monologue introduces the film perfectly; each word is delivered with such passion and absolute abandon, and these opening moments effectively establish the bleak, ominous tone that pervades the entire picture. It's utterly mesmerising watching Clooney and Wilkinson exchange dialogue...cinema can not get any better than this!
Tilda Swinton earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar (the only Academy Award Michael Clayton won) for her captivating performance as the attack dog of U-North. She's a shark navigating waters murkier than those in which she's accustomed to swim. Swinton's Karen Crowder makes mistakes - big mistakes - but is ultimately unprepared for the consequences. She's cold and calculating while still managing to display the precarious nature of that icy demeanour. Her convincing performance particularly shines towards the film's dénouement.
Actor/director Sydney Pollack is also in action as Michael Clayton's exasperated boss. He delivers a uniformly excellent performance.

"Dear Michael. Of course it's you, who else could they send, who else could be trusted?"

Earning a total of seven Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture and Best Director among others), Michael Clayton is a potent legal thriller that expertly harkens back to the courtroom dramas and conspiracy-theory flicks of the 1970s and 80s (although the movie never goes near a courtroom, interestingly). It's extremely stilted, difficult to follow and quite slow, yet the film works due to Gilroy's masterful script and meticulous direction. Michael Clayton is engaging and engrossing, riveting and spellbinding, and it's tagged with an ambiguous conclusion. It demands repeated viewings, and some will need to watch it multiple times before realising its sheer brilliance. Each time you re-watch this topflight psychological thriller you'll glean further insight into its sophisticated world. Although it's extremely confusing, it's worth one's concentration and it's one of the most enthralling motion picture experiences of 2007. Oscar material this certainly is.
Michael Clayton offers deep intrigue guaranteed to keep an audience on the edge of their seats. Apart from the cast, nothing about the production is flashy. There's no action (save for a single explosion), no gunfights, no sex...just a great story which has been intricately created by a master craftsman. It is one of the most subversive anti-corporate films to come out of the Hollywood studio system. It isn't a box office player, but rather an intelligent motion picture for an intellectual audience to discover.

Arthur Edens: "Michael, I have great affection for you and you live a very rich and interesting life, but you're a bag man not an attorney. If your intention was to have me committed you should have kept me in Wisconsin where the arrest report, the videotape, eyewitness reports of my inappropriate behavior would have had jurisdictional relevance. I have no criminal record in the state of New York, and the single determining criterion for involuntary commitment is danger. Is the defendant a danger to himself or to others. You think you got the horses for that? Well good luck and God bless, but I'll tell you this: the last place you want to see me is in court."
Michael Clayton: "I'm not the enemy."
Arthur Edens: "Then who are you?"

8.8/10