Review: Michael Clayton (Grade: B+)

Every now and then a really smart movie makes it to the multiplexes. 'Michael Clayton', starring George Clooney, is such a film. Problem is, sometimes it's just too smart for it's own good.

To me the film is an homage to the 70's political thrillers (the well made ones) in as much as it takes it's time spinning a tale that ultimately leads to a satisfying climax.

The film centers on legal "fixer" Michael Clayton, played by good ole George to weary perfection. I don't think I've ever seen him look so tired and worn out with big bags under his eyes. But I digress. Whenever the huge legal firm he works for needs to solve problems they call in Michael to do the dirty work all the while keeping him on the books as a trial attorney. Growing weary of doing "janitorial" work Michael takes a case to get his old friend and mentor Arthur back on his meds. Arthur played to great passive aggressiveness by the always luminous Tom Wilkinson, has just freaked out during a deposition by babbling seemingly incoherently and by ripping his clothes off. Michael immediately flies out to take care of the situation but along the way he finds out that maybe Arthur is telling the truth and isn't as crazy as he seems. Thus begins the road to redemption that leads Michael to uncovering an awful truth.

Famed director Sydney Pollack just acts in this one as the firms senior partner and is magnificent as a steely eyed attorney who doesn't as much care for the truth as he does about the bottom line. Tilda Swinton is excellent as the attorney on the other side who only cares about looking good for the senior partners.

The pacing of this pretty long film is very quick which surprised me because of the subject matter. I mean, how many times have we seen lawyers standing around talking about lawyerly things?? How boring is that?? Not this time as Clooney's performance is the glue that holds all of this together. Now I have to say that I don't usually like old Georgie boy with his smarmy grin. But I was surprised by the stripped down performance that he gives here. Gone were the grins and Clooney facial tics that I have come to hate, replaced with a road weariness that frankly I didn't expect. It was refreshing just to see him act.

On the technical side, the film looked great. Not only did the characters seem worn out but so did New York itself. Again another thing that reminded me of those grungy looking 70's films like "Taxi Driver" or the "French Connection."

Directed by first-timer Tony Gilroy (he wrote the Bourne films) with beautiful long shots, he should have sat back, patted himself on the back and said, "Well done!" for making such engaging film that builds up steadily with a great payoff. But instead he curiously decided to start the movie in flashback mode and basically showed the end of the film first, so when the ending arrived it was a letdown. He (and the studio) thought they had to give into the modern aesthetic of having something blow up at the beginning to keep the interest of those with five second attention spans. Very sad. He also overdid a trite technique of having a main character do a voiceover at the beginning of the film, except this time it went on for several minutes with the Wilkinson character rambling incoherently about nothing. Not only did it not make sense but it was very hard to follow with the swelling of the music.

So, in my mind those two things nearly ruined a perfectly smart film. But I could be nitpicking, decide for yourself and remember to leave your short attention spans at the door.

Musings Grade: B+

-- Janaki Cedanna