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Capone calls George Clooney's MICHAEL CLAYTON a "must see!!!"
Now here's an interesting situation: the powerful new drama Michael Clayton was originally scheduled to open in Chicago next Friday, a week into the Chicago Film Festival, but was scheduled to play as part of the Festival on Monday, October 10 (it still is as far as I know) with first-time director Tony Gilroy in attendance. But for whatever reason, the distributor decided to give the film a limited early release in Chicago (only at River East for the first week) today, sort of undercutting the need for the Festival screening other than as a place to see Gilroy, which, having seen his exceptional film, isn't the worst thing I can think of (I actually am interviewing him while he's in town).
But enough about semantics. Plain and simple, George Clooney has never been better. The soul of his character, a law firm "fixer"--a lawyer who is called onto a difficult case and does everything inside and outside the law to shut down a seemingly unwinnable lawsuit against a client of the corporate law firm--is tarnished and tattered. Typically he is only ever called in for the firm's biggest cases, usually by its leader Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack, in another searing performance). But that Michael Clayton is not on display in this film; we only hear about him from other and typically in the past tense. Clayton today is worn out and broken down, probably on the verge of calling his career finished until he gets a call that a good friend has lost his mind.
Arthur Edens (the genius Tom Wilkinson) openly and on camera during a deposition torpedoes the firm's biggest client, U/North, in probably the biggest case the firm has ever had. He raves like a lunatic and even strips off his closes, seemingly out of guilt for the damage that has been done to one young woman he has fixated on, whose family is part of a massive class action suit against U/North. Clayton, who we find out early has issues with gambling on top of everything else, is asked to step in and see just how bad Edens has damaged the client. As good as these two actors are, my favorite character in Michael Clayton is U/North's in-house council Karen Crowder, played as a freaky, self-loathing, out-of-her-element pawn by the always-riveting Tilda Swinton. It's clear that writer-director Tony Gilroy, making his debut behind the camera here, loves to watch Swinton as she poses in front of mirrors, checking out the underarm sweat stains on her blouse. She is not some polished ice queen to us; she's is all-too human, and we know she will make mistakes that will hurt many people.
Gilroy is a long-time Hollywood screenwriter, who has had a hand in scripting all this Jason Bourne films, as well as such works as Dolores Claibourne, Proof of Life, Armageddon, and The Devil's Advocate. So it's actually shocking to me how confident and subtle the man is behind the camera. Sure, part of that is his remarkable cast, but there are many choices Gilroy makes that are all him. There's a shot at the end of the film that is just Clooney sitting in the back of car, and Gilroy hold the camera on him as the final credits roll. Clooney doesn't speak or do anything extraordinary, but we are riveted to his face, knowing full well the decompression that is going on in his mind.
I don't want to go into too much more details about this film. There aren't any earth-shattering twists with the plot, just solid story construction, a really riveting series of events, and some of the best acting I've seen all year. In the last five years, with the exception of the Danny Ocean films, George Clooney has focused less on movie star roles and more on inhabiting some of the greatest characters he's ever played. His work as Michael Clayton is by far the best acting Clooney has ever done. There's a confrontation he has with Swinton toward the end of the film that will knock you on your ass. He lets her know she made a bad call regarding him, and he's so proud of himself for besting her that he can't help but gloat. The honesty in the scene is unheard of, especially when he finally just spits out "You are fucked" right in her face. In a perfect world, that would be his Oscar clip.
Michael Clayton is a complex and dense work that holds you in its grip while you navigate its treacherous waters. There are things that happen in this film that I'm still rolling around in my head even though I saw the film originally a month and a half ago. Clooney, Wilkinson, and especially Swinton give career-best performances, but the real hero of the day is Tony Gilroy, who needs to get behind the camera again very soon and show us this wasn't a fluke. Or maybe he should never make another movie again, and always leave us wanting more. Either way, Michael Clayton is falls into the must-see category, and if you get a chance to see it during the festival with Gilroy on hand, take advantage.
-Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com
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FIRST BIATCHES!
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a pretentious over acted movie that tries to be too smart for it's own good
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once upon a time, we watched clear and present danger and the fugitive, then it was air force one. then it was hollywood homicide, maybe we can go back to semi-smart thrillers and no more 'epic movie'movies, remember the brief peace and happiness period of world history [unless you lived in Chechnya] when clinton was the president? before you cunt-ry ellevated fox news from ham-radio nazis to "political talking heads"? you NEED a smart lady or negro president.
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So, when the car explodes...that field is only a few minutes from my house. Nothing ever happens here, so it was pretty cool.
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Gilroy took a look at '70s classics like Klute, All The Presidents Men, The Parallax View et all, to get a feeling for how this film should be made. Clooney is looking smarter and smarter with his film choices. Bravo, gentlemen.
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got a winner coming out also...looks to be a pretty damn good fall following a pretty brain dead summer.
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Nice to see a taught thriller with great performances getting some attention. It's time to go back and give the Tom Clancy books yet to be filmed a crack a the big screen.
Oh, and Clooney rules! -
Get a little sleep before writing a review next time. I usually enjoy your reviews, but had to stop halfway through this one because this one seemed to be written in broken English, written as an assignment in English as a Second Language.
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Word Capone. Damn right on all counts there.
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I was going to avoid it because the trailer gave me no clue as to what the film is about. I found it very frustrating.
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The opening scene, mixed with shots of the city and Wilkinson's voiceover has you hooked from the get-go. Also, in respsonse to Omar B.'s mention of Clancy, don't you think Clooney would make an awesome Jack Ryan? Since Paramount doesn't seem eager to get back into the Affleck business (who I actually liked, btw), I think Clooney filling those shoes would be awesome. I believe Clancy envisioned him somewhat younger, but still...
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It's not one of those movies that needs to be seen in theaters.
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wait... Capone?
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Like Syriana or Good Night, and Good Luck?
Clooney has gotten so politically outspoken in the last couple years I'm wary of going to his movies at all anymore. -
You're totally right man! What the hell was Murrow thinking? The balls of that prick to think he could speak out on all-American Joe "your momma's a commie" McCarthy. I can't think of anything more anti-American than the freedom of the press.
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Saw it today. Kinda like THE INSIDER in tone.
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Are you kidding me? Because someone has the balls to say, "Something isn't right here" that makes them anti-American? I suppose Dr. Hemlock is just dandy with America's current situation, which is sad considering our country is the weakest, and most hated it has EVER been. I personally am thankful that there are other patriotic people who strive to make things better. I also like movies
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Unless you want to feel really young and uncomfortable, wait for the DVD.
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If she's there, I'm there!
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this movie is about a gigantic chemical company that has been poisoning its customers, and the moral decisions of some of the lawyers involved in the case. anti-american?good night and good luck was about people in the press actually standing up for americans when their rights were being railroaded by a few power hungry politicians with their own agendas. anti-american?and not for nothing, but confessions of a dangerous mind was clooney's first movie, and it was about a game show host who may or may not have been a government asassin. anti-american?stop regurgitating some other internet troll's nonsensical argument if you don't know what you're talking about.please purchase yourself a clue and read the instruction booklet.
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Do you consider Harry Truman un-American Dr. Hemlock?
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Absolutely one of the best films of the year.
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