After two weeks of box office domination by "The Game Plan," The Rock's kid-friendly comedy, George Clooney offers an alternative for everyone not under the age of 12 that is sleek and savvy, much like Clooney himself. "Michael Clayton" is a thinking-man's thriller set in corporate America. It moves along methodically, setting the stage for an exciting final act filled with intrigue and suspense.
Clooney plays the title character, an in-house "fixer" at one of the biggest corporate law firms in New York. Formerly an assistant district attorney for the city, he now uses his connections with law enforcement to help keep his firm's high profile clients out of potentially embarrassing, if not career-threatening, situations.
The film focuses on Clayton's involvement with a class action suit against U/North, an agricultural corporation represented by the firm. The lead attorney on the case, Arthur Edens, suffers a mental breakdown and Clayton is sent to resolve the situation. As he becomes more and more involved in the case, however, Clayton begins to wonder if Edens is actually crazy or if the situation is more sinister.
If this plot sounds vaguely familiar, it is. This movie is very much a by-the-numbers thriller. Luckily, the acting is superb and pushes the movie to a higher level. Clooney, in a somewhat toned down (and slimmed down) version of his character in "Syriana" (2005), comes across as a tired, worn-out man who is resigned to his fate. He is good at his job but deep down, he feels that he is nothing more than a janitor, cleaning up the problems of others. Delivering a much more restrained performance than in last summer's "Ocean's 13," Clooney effectively embodies the haggard protagonist and successfully portrays a man torn between moral absolutes.
As good as Clooney is, however, it is Tom Wilkinson - of 2001's "In the Bedroom," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"(2004) and "Batman Begins"(2005) - who steals the show. Playing the broken-down Arthur Edens, Wilkinson really shows off his acting chops. His frenetic speech, darting eyes and sudden head movements fill out his complex character.
The film actually opens with one of his monologues and the tone of his voice - shaky yet resolute, like a scientist on the brink of a discovery - effectively sets the mood for the first act of the film. His scenes, especially those with Clooney, are far and away the most memorable in the film.
Tilda Swinton also shines as Karen Crowder. the newly appointed head of the legal department of U/North. She is nervous and self-doubting to begin with, and as more and more of the details regarding the suit against her company come to light, she becomes even more paranoid and skeptical of her abilities. Swinton does an excellent job of playing a desperate woman in over her head; so much so, that it doesn't make sense that her screen time is so short. She becomes almost forgotten in the middle of the movie.
Actually, it is the second act that is the movie's biggest flaw. The story moves very methodically and, consequently, the second act tends to drag. Also, the narrative structure seems to be altered for no particular reason. The film opens with a car bombing and then flashes back four days to tell the majority of the story. The story would have worked just as well in chronological order, if not making the third act even more thrilling than it was.
Then again, only so much blame can fairly be placed on writer/director Tony Gilroy for wanting to make sure his directorial debut opened with a bang. Although his all-star cast provides plenty of support, it is Gilroy's vision which shines through clearly. Within the thriller formula, he depicts a morally conflicted man who is honestly questioning his life choices.
In the film's final act, Clayton is confronted by his brother who tells him, "You got all these cops thinking you're a lawyer. Then, you got all these lawyers thinking you're some kind of cop. You got everybody fooled, don't you? You know exactly what you are."
The story of Clayton coming to terms with himself is what really drives this film. It is refreshing to see a standard genre piece that delivers a broader message without overreaching. Whereas last month's "The Kingdom" tries (unsuccessfully) to go beyond its action and preach about US foreign policy in the Middle East, "Michael Clayton" is a first-rate thriller, which, buoyed by amazing acting, is able to tell a compelling story about doing the right thing when it matters most.
