Written and directed by longtime screenwriter Dan Gilroy, MICHAEL CLAYTON is a carefully modulated but still gripping exploration of what happens when two middle-aged lawyers arrive separately at a crisis of conscience. It's about the choices we make in life and how the drive for money, status and respect often obscures what is really truly important in life.
George Clooney plays the eponymous character who is a "fixer" or "janitor" for a prestigious Manhattan law firm. Got a high powered client involved in a hit-and-run and you need to keep it quiet? Call Michael Clayton. Need someone to figure out what all the skeletons in the closet are for an opponent? Clayton's your guy--and so on. As the movie opens, Clayton has to deal with an especially sticky situation--one of the senior partners at his law firm has snapped during a deposition, exposing himself and threatening to switch sides in the middle of a massive class action law suit against agrigiant U-North (think ConAgra). Clayton's firm represents U-North against the plaintiffs. To say things are going sideways would be an understatement.
If that's not enough, Clayton (of course) has any number of personal demons. (Thankfully, alcoholism isn't one of them--that would have been too cliched). Clayton must look after a son from a previous marriage, deal with a cop brother who resents him and massive debts from an ill-advised investment in a restaurant all while trying to reign in the crazy partner and prevent the firm from potentially losing million of dollars. The film handles all of this in a relatively low key manner, but Clooney's acting is strong (he gets better and more relaxed with age) and Tom Wilkinson's performance as the "crazy" partner is the kind of supporting work that should deservedly get recognized by the Academy. In fact, everything about MICHAEL CLAYTON is intelligent, thought-provoking and well-crafted, but beware--if you're looking for white-knuckle suspense or kinetic action sequences, this may not be the movie for you. This is 70s-style, thinking person's cinema that takes it time and pushes your buttons. My grade: A-
Random Thought of the Day
THE TYRA BANKS talk show tries to be edgy and controversial but never ceases to be anything less than ridiculous and sometimes offensive. Who told Tyra she was Oprah? And why would she believe it?
The Moment You've Been Waiting For - Another Top Ten List from Dr. Z!
Top Ten Cool Things about being a dumb guy:
10. Your idea for a sitcom based on the "Caveman" commercials gets picked up by ABC.
9. You are the person responsible for picking up the "Caveman" show for ABC.
8. You got custody of the kids over Britney.
7. You get to make all of the important decisions for Major League Baseball.
6. Your "Digital Shorts" are the only thing worth watching on SNL.
5. Your wife could be the next President of the United States. (Sorry, this is a Top Ten Cool Thing about being an older gentleman who chases too many......never mind. This could take forever.)
4. You get to host "Jimmy Kimmel Live"!
3. Did I mention the whole "Caveman" thing already?
2. You write goofy Top Ten Lists that your intelligent friends post on their blog!
And the number one cool thing about being a dumb guy:
1. Your current residence is 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
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