Rated R for bad language and the subjects they talk about with bad language
Reviewed by Karl Scott

 

While there are no new plot ideas in Michael Clayton, budding screenwriters should pay attention to how writer/director Tony Gilroy tells his story. As it turns out MC is the most entertaining of the 5 films nominated for the 2007 Best Picture Oscar.  Along with some good casting the credit all goes to the above-mentioned Gilroy, who knows how to make a story work on screen. His previous best-known projects were the three screenplays he authored for the Bourne series.  

 

While not as good as the latest Bourne thriller, MC is an engaging and entertaining 2 hours. It’s a low-tech thriller without a lot of thrills but plenty of suspense. George Clooney plays the big law firm attorney who now only does clean up jobs for his clients. His days in the courtroom are over. Leading the law firm is co-producer and sometime actor, Sydney Pollack.  Previous Oscar winner Tom Wilkinson plays the crazy attorney causing lots of trouble. English actress, Tilda Swinton plays legal counsel, and quite a bit more, for the BIG client of the big law firm. Seems that a really big agricultural firm has been sued for making a nasty weed killer some time back and killing a bunch of folks.  

 

Tom Wilkinson who was already a little deranged is the big firm’s attorney fighting for a settlement.  During a deposition following 6 years on the case he acts like he’s been drinking the weed killer with a follow up chaser of the bad water in Erin Brokovich and he takes off his clothes in court and acts a little strange. Why he does this is what the story is all about.  Gilroy slowly reveals what is going on by showing us a few events then going back to 4 days before those events and then bringing us up to date.  As stated there is nothing here not seen before, but the way he tells the story keeps us fully engaged right up to the predictable but satisfying ending.  

 

George is fine as the attorney with his own problems, who while trying to deal with a thousand other cases, has this big one dumped in his lap.  By the time this article reaches print the Oscars may have been decided.  In any case Michael Clayton is the first of the 5 nominees due on DVD release (2/19).  It will be just as good on DVD as in the theater.

Check it out.
 
Rated 3.1 out of 4 reasons to settle