Michael Clayton offers stunning twists

By Frank Visco
Collegian Editor
October 10, 2007

Over the last three years, George Clooney’s work has fluctuated from serious minded cinema (Syriana, The Good German) to successful popcorn flicks (the last Ocean’s installment). However, with two big films arriving in theaters in the next few months (Michael Clayton and Leatherheads), Clooney seems poised to inhabit the middle area between these extremes. While very little will be known about Leatherheads until February, Michael Clayton is a superb film that could ride good word-of-mouth to solid box-office returns, provided audiences are patient enough to sort through the deliberately confusing first half.

That being said, there’s no avoiding that some will be turned off by the film. Of particular concern will be the utilization of flashbacks to recount the story’s four day ordeal. However, those willing to embrace the temporary plot confusion will be rewarded when the pieces begin falling into place. A throwback to the Watergate/Vietnam-inspired thrillers of the ’70s, Michael Clayton is first-rate all the way.

In the film, Clooney portrays the titular hero, a “fixer” for one of the world’s biggest law firms. When the firm’s top litigator, Arthur (an energetic Tom Wilkinson), breaks down by stripping during a deposition for a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit, the firm calls an audible. Worried that U/North, the multinational conglomerate Arthur was defending, will claim legal misrepresentation and thus hamper a major merger with a London-based company, the firm’s lead partner (Sydney Pollack) orders Michael to come in and clean up.

Initially, Michael plays down the incident, claiming that Arthur, an old friend, has just stopped taking his meds. However, he gradually begins to realize Arthur’s madness may have resulted from U/North’s corporate malfeasance and an infatuation with one of the wronged plaintiffs. The actions of both men severely panics U/North’s new chief counsel (Tilda Swinton), leading to quite a bit of tension and suspense.

The supporting cast is uniformly excellent. With several quiet scenes (and several talking-in-front-of-a-mirror ones), Swinton makes good use of her screentime, nailing down her character’s motivation and the fear she has inside. Wilkinson is even better. His speech at the beginning of the film is a mesmerizing tour de force, and he sustains its energy throughout the film. Watching the way this great actor transforms himself from movie to movie is truly amazing, and he will undeniably court Oscar buzz for his work here.

Considering Wilkinson’s opening monologue, it’s worth noting that this film has absolutely perfect bookends. Starting forcefully strong, it ends with one of the most mesmerizing closing credit sequences I’ve ever seen. Simple and quiet, the credits add a powerfully somber denouement to the film’s dramatic conclusion. It’s the perfect foil to the opening scene, and I can’t for the life of me remember the last movie I thought opened and closed so perfectly, so fully in tune with the arc of the story.

Seasoned screenwriter Tony Gilroy (the Bourne franchise) shows great promise in his first foray behind the camera, expertly translating his gripping morality story to the screen. Originally, the script had piqued Clooney’s interest as a directorial opportunity, but Gilroy refused him, citing his wish to direct. Clooney has said he was not interested in acting for a first-time director, until a sit-down with Gilroy changed his mind.

Good move on Clooney’s part, because the film provides him with a plum role to sink his teeth into. A morally ambiguous antihero, Michael is the operator that corporations turn to when they need help covering something up or adjusting the truth (as the film’s tagline indicates). We know he’s the best because his colleagues keep referring to him as a “miracle worker,” but the beauty of Gilroy’s script is that we see Michael off his game.

Struggling to recover financially after an entrepreneurial misfire, while simultaneously dealing with familial issues, Michael is sidetracked, and thus unable to keep Arthur under wraps. Worn down, he eventually faces a crisis of conscience and is forced to make a moral decision. I won’t give anything away, but it’s a credit to Clooney’s performance that he keeps the audience guessing. Toeing the moral line, he holds the film together.

viscof1@lasalle.edu