Its late in the night, and the world is fast asleep. As the credits begin to roll, somewhere in a high profile office building in midtown Manhattan, there is a sense of vital urgency. Tons of paper work is being piled up, important documents are being rushed back and forth, a xerox machine is churning out copies, while outside a conference room a janitor is going about his cleaning job.
In the midst of it all, we hear a voice over of a panic striken man, imploring - "Michael, Dear Michael.please, before you sweep, please just hear me out.because its not like its not an episode relapse, I am begging you Michalel, its not just madness.Because I swear to you, this is so much, so much more.As clear as this may be.as true a thing as I believe I must wait. It must stand the test of time.and.Michael.that time is now".
As the audience is intrigued by the voice of the invisible man, in the next shot the director takes the
audience right inside a busy office where Marty Bach(Sydeny Pollack) a senior partner of a top law firm'Kenner, Bach & Ledeen"(consisting of more than 600 attorneys) is on the phone with a journalist from the Wall Street Journal. He's not too pleased about the conversation and hangs up the phone with displeasure.
Meanwhile in a shady card room in a sleazy neighborhood in Chinatown, a few guys are gambling away at a card table. A cell phone, a Rolex watch, some keys and an Identity card, which reads "MICHAEL CLAYTON - Kenner, Bach & Ledeen Attorneys at Law" are seen lying in a container. The camera moves slowly, focusing on each of the players at the table and then zooms in at the third player who lifts his head up sideways to speak. The player -Michael Clayton(George Clooney*).
Who is Michael Clayton?
Is he a lawyer, a fixer,a miracle worker or alawyer who considers himself to be equivalent to ajanitorbecause that is exactly what he does - he cleans up the mess created by other people. People such as big clients, or any other source in order to make sure things work out in the best interests of **Kenner Bach and Ledeen Associates.
Everything is hunky dory until one day something drastic happens at a deposition hearing and the person responsible for the "mess" is one of their own top lawyers Arthur Edens(Tom Wilkinson*). The law firm panics and immediately turns to their very own miracle worker Michael Clayton "to take care of this mess".
Does Michael Clayton succeed? What is he like in person? What does he uncover? How does he go about it? To answer these questions, you will have to watch "Michael Clayton" in action. I must say, it is one of the most satisfying legal thrillers I have seen or read about in a long time. To date, I have already watched this film four times and I wouldn't mind watching it again.
*Michael Clayton(the movie) is a drama/thriller dealing with the corruption within the legal system. How multi-million dollar lawsuits are settled, and to what lengths one can go to in order to adjust facts have been dealt with in the film.
This film marks the directorial debut of Tony Gilroy, who is also the writer of the film. In the past, he has written the screenplay of movies such as "Armageddon" and the "Bourne Series" to name a few. For a first time director, Gilroy is excellent. Though the movie picks up slowly, the strength of the film lies in its clever screenplay, well-etched characters and superlative performances. There are many layers to the film and most of the story is told in flash back. Gilroy must be basking in glory as his first directorial venture has ended up withseven Oscar nominations including Best Director andBest Original Screenplay. Even though the ending is somewhat predictable, the climax is very well conceived and is a treat to watch. The use of the voice over and apt background music at the beginning is a masterstroke and gets the audience hooked rightaway. Its only half way through the film that we realize what it meant. For a legal thriller, this film does not have any over the top courtroom scenes. Unlike the Bourne series, this film does not have any big special effects or any action/ chase sequences(except one). The movie has a realistic feel to it.
Coming to performances, George Clooney(nominated for Best Actor) in the title role plays a very complex character. A New York based lawyer, born into a family of cops, he is indomitable at his job. On the personal front, he is divorced and doesn't have much going on. He has a little son(with whom he gets to spend time in the weekends), an alcoholic brother and he himself is dealing with issues of gambling and money problems. Through out the movie, he has maintained a stoic look which border lines frustration due to the situation he is in. He is well dressed, drives a latest model Mercedes around, yet there is a certain torment that reflects in his eyes - That of a man who could have had it all, but doesn't.
Tilda Swinton as Karen Crowder plays the role of a high flying legal counsel for a world renowned agricultural/ chemical company. She has done a fabulous job as a woman with self-confidence issues, yet manages to maintain a superficial, confident look to the outside world. She sure deserved the nomination for the "Best Supporting Actress". Tom Wilkinson as Arthur Edens plays a manic depressive yet brilliant lawyer, who goes insane when he misses his pills. "Two Thumbs up" for his brilliant performance, which as earned him the nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Sydey Pollack (as Marty Bach) has a short but consequential role and is fantastic as usual. He has also produced this film. Background score is apt and cinematography is superb. Whether it is the dim lit back streets of Chinatown, the well-lit Midtown, the well done up interiors of office spaces and restaurants or the rural Weschester County at the crack of the dawn,Robert Elswit has captured every frame beautifully.
The movie reminded me of films like "Wall Street", "The Firm", "Breach" etc. If you like John Grisham type storylines(clearly Tony Gilroy was inspired by his work), or are a George Clooney fan(he is practically seen in every frame), don't miss this film. At the box office, the movie has already grossed over 80 million dollars worldwide. As far as the Oscars go, the competition is extremely tough with some excellent movies in the race for the Golden Statue.
If you are looking for big time action sequences, romance, car chases or a light film, this one is not for you. One has to watch this movie with close attention, the story is complex, it builds up slowly and the actions/ inactions of each of the characters have to be follwed extremely carefully.
ENJOY!
