Michael Clayton

Pressure cooker of a film with an organic, well-constructed plot. Stellar performances. Saw it once and liked it. Saw it a second time (intending just to skip through and re-familiarize myself with characters, happenings) and totally enjoyed re-watching the pieces of the story fly, then fall into place. Appreciated the artistic composition of the shots and scenes: montage of Karen rehearsing her speech, cut with her giving the speech. Shot of Clayton, left alone in the grays and whites of the office. He's in black suit with a white shirt, holding a red binder in one hand. Shot of horses on a hill, matching an illustration in his son's fantasy novel. You can feel the building, impossible pressure on all the characters, everyone is in a tough spot, and making tough moral and practical choices. Michael Clayton in particular. It's tension upon tension. Difficult, nasty job. Insufficient time with his kid. Painful financial deadline. Family tendency toward addiction. Good friend and colleague having a mental breakdown. Exhaustion. All while trying to keep his game face for those around him. Fortunately, the viewer gets little bits of comic relief and a couple explosions. The information dropped to the viewer is purposely less than you expect. You get little "aha" moments as they catch you up with what's been happening. Get your popcorn, turn out the lights. Watch it all the way through like a movie.

George is a middle age lawyer. He has a "niche"; he is a fixer. He "fixes" the problems of the rich and powerful: CEO's, "bent congressmen", or anybody else with money. He calls himself a "janitor" cleaning up the messes of the well to do. All the while, he is listed in the firm as "wills and trust" attorney. He has been doing this for 15 years, and he is sick of it; he want to do something else, or maybe just be someone else. He wants out of the world of big shot high powered corporate life. He talks about his "walking away money". But the money disappeared in a bad business deal which is not really explained, a resteruant/bar operation. A family member was the business partner, and was to be blamed. Then there is the muscle or maybe the actually loan shark with mob connections, he wants his money back and is pressuring Clooney, while Cooney liquidates the business. While this is going on a corporation, U-North, a chemical/pestacide company is facing litigation--massive litigation that Clooney's firm is representing. Things head south and case goes bad, real bad. The lawyer grinding away on the case goes nutso, and crashes the case into a wall, with some looney tunes behavior. This lawyer is manic depressive. The corporation's ceo calls in a crew that "goes the other way", to terminate the problem lawyer, and do damage control. Clooney gets involved because he is the firm's fixer and a friend to this lawyer. The methods are stealthy, appear well thought out. They wire tape, follow, and eventually murder the problem lawyer, making it appear as a suicide. The film itself has powerful actors, a good script. I was not a Clooney fan until I saw this film; it has a powerful scene with just Clooney, no words, but a infinite amount of acting skills. The scene blows me away... ;it is very powerful!! The film has some great one liners, Sydney Pollack's character, says" 15 years in and I have to tell you how we pay the bills around here." The film has a massive plot twist that blows your mind too. I found Clooney's comments about his "walking away money" to be meaningful and even insightful, even if simple. Clooney is struggaling in his mid life; he wants out; I connected with that. Good film, I believe it received an Oscar.

There are many movies that have incorporated twists and plots with corporate and leagle aspects reflective of current events. If you are looking for a thriller with a purpose that not only aspires to thrill...rather inspire you to take concern for the issues and characters involved in the thrill, "Michael Clayton" is that movie. The great thing about owning this movie is that if you missed a moment, you can always take the time to absorb it. Just when you think you got the whole story...you watch it again and find more. I am satisfied for the purchase I made of this Blu-Ray Edition...especially the price. If you are a fan of George Clooney as an actor...you will enjoy this performance. If you appreciate Tony Gilroy as a Director or appreciate Sydney Polleck's work...you will find this movie a treat. Like other films that accomplish the effect of character analysis; i.e., "The Firm", "Erin Brockovich", "The Rainmaker" or the Jason Bourne Movies of Tony Gilroy and Paul Greengrass..."Micheal Clayton" works effectively. There is a human side to this movie as well as a twisted-dark side...when both collide in the end...it makes you enjoy the journey of George Clooney's roll as Micheal Clayton...a cleaner for a Leagle Firm that makes waves of his own. If you love devious-twisted characters...especially from an actress...Tilda Swinton deserves the Oscar as the corporate executive with coldness and boldness. The ending of this movie is worth the price paid for this movie along with the hours spent to piece the puzzle of the journey Micheal Clayton endures to reason the bedevilments of himself in all relationships of his life. Note that every supporting cast member of this movie added to the enjoyment to make this a classic masterpiece for anyone to appreciate...especially Tom Wilkinson and the late Sydney Polleck who also co-produced this gem- he knows a good thriller to back. Remember...not all George Clooney roles are the same...he is a thespian, well diversified to adapt to any role. This movie gives you that opportunity to witness the rise of a talent. This movie cleans up- worth owning since you never know how often it will be shown on paid TV, worth owning for the added bells and whistles to allow the viewer behind the scenes access of really knowing the whole experience. Great to give as a gift for anyone who appreciates suspense thrillers and anyone who may have a George Clooney film collection...there are many. Still, if you purchase this...get it with "Three Kings", "Up in the Air", "The Descendants ", "Good Night and Good Luck" or "Out of Sight". You will compare and conclude the diversity of George Clooney and say "Micheal Clayton is a great performance. Just note that "Good Night and Good Luck" was directed by George Clooney..."Micheal Clayton" directed by Tony Gilroy...both with same intensity. If you still like the "Cloon-ster" as Danny Ocean...well, the same suaveness of the Danny Ocean character is applied to Micheal Clayton...just for those who like to type-cast. Just know that there is a purpose behind Micheal Clayton...to make the audience actually take Inventory on themselves and clean themselves to be better people rather then bitter people. You will not regret owning this movie or giving it as a gift.

One has to see this over and over again. So well acted, that one gets wrapped up in the plot.

Loved the movie! Great conclusion

The only way I could get my teenager to drive all the way to the valley with me to see Micheal Clayton - "What's it about?" "Corporate thriller." "You've got to be kidding me." - was to offer to pay her 100 bucks if she didn't like the film. Extravagant, I realize, but I did squander her movie trust years ago by convincing her to see Up At The Villa. And if Micheal Clayton makes anything abundantly clear it's that people who suffer egregious lapses of judgment must pay and pay and pay.... Given that - who doesn't love a loop-hole? Well, no one in Micheal Clayton doesn't love a loop-hole. And that is exactly what everyone in the film is set hard on finding and jumping through. The moral tone of this story is struck hard and clear right at the beginning. Clayton, a curious breed of lawyer, drives Upstate, NY in the middle of the night to handle one of his firms big-wig clients who has gotten himself in a bit of a jam. Seems just hours before Big Wig killed a man. He didn't kill anyone INTENTIONALLY, of course. See, BW is driving home late at night, and this other kind of guy .. you know the type, sans Jag, on foot. I know. Ew. Right? .. is in BW's way so BW accidentally mows him down. Whoops. And then leaves the scene of the crime. Why?! Well, because it's all so INCONVENIENT. What's inconvenient, exactly? Honesty? Integrity? The high road? Ones pesky humanity? Yeah. That's right. Clayton is a gambling man and he works for a crowd who gambles hard with the big questions. And yes, the dead guy is completely off every one's radar. I thought a lovely little defining gesture here is when BW's wife gets so fed up with all this yucky, early morning hullabaloo she throws her 5 A.M. cocktail against the wall. What a mess. Okay, so now we know what neighborhood we're in. As it turns out, a neighborhood that's tricky as hell to get out of. On his way back to the city Clayton's car gets BLOWN UP before he even hits the Parkway. And if that alone doesn't leave you with enough questions to sit through the rest of the film, just wait. The next 15 min. will give you plenty more. The way I see it, there just isn't any THRILL in a thriller if you're not sitting there in the dark with a lot of questions banging around in your head. And as my teenage companion learned by the age of 4, every good movie answers all your questions. Using this simple criteria Micheal Clayton delivers big in every way. In my humble opinion, Tom Wilkinson was robbed of an Oscar for his BRILLIANT portrayal of Arthur Edens. Great name... and yeah. Go ahead and read into it. A brilliant manic depressive, corporate attorney who in the midst of riding lead pony on a multi billion dollar case that stinks - just ask the woefully compromised attorneys back at the lair. They all shruggingly agree on the smell coming off this case - suddenly makes a desperate, late in the game, lunge to save his soul. For starters he throws away his meds, strips down to his socks and runs around naked in a freezing Midwest parking lot. And then he gets serious. This is clearly a man who wants out of that neighborhood .. bad. But Clayton, fix-it man in Arthur's firm, and one who's own destiny is suddenly and dangerously linked to this, his one time mentors. And Crowder, in-house counsel for their smelly client, played to duplicitous perfection byTilda Swinton. Both work hard to block his exit. I couldn't stop thinking while watching Swinton sweat and plot and practice her victory laps in front of the mirror that Lady Macbeth has at last broken through the glass ceiling. Kudos. She more than earned her little gold man. But the pivotal scene for me is when Clayton finally catches up with Arthur. The loony would be knight, who is stunning with at least 3 ties wrapped around his neck and a giant bundle of fresh baguettes inexplicably stashed under his arm. In the midst of trying to convince Arthur to do things the 'reasonable' way Clayton manages to spit out - I'm not the enemy! To which Arthur immediately demands Then who are you? Therein lies the biggest question of them all. Yes. Plenty of bad judgement. And not nearly enough loop holes for everybody to get their life back. Choices will be made. None of them small. I won't say how it ends but rest assured someone is going to pay and pay and pay. And for once it isn't me! I'm happy to report that at the end of Micheal Clayton, the aforementioned teenager admitted that even though she had planned at the outset not to like the film, REGARDLESS, so she could collect the easy 100 (I know. I saw that coming, too) decided she had to be honest and come clean. She loved it! What changed her mind? Some freshly internalized moral lesson? Maybe she worried I might turn into a scary lady lawyer and depose her on the ride home? Did she think .. okay, although no McAvoy, Clooney is still pretty cool to watch for 2 hours .. you know, for an old guy? Or did the story, the acting, the direction and the thrilling pay off simply blow her mind? Who knows?? Micheal Clayton is that good.

I just enjoy movies about law firms

Michael Clayton takes so long to 'come around' that the ending feels tacked on. He's gotta make some choice so... Maybe this choice will work. Okay, so maybe it's not about the ending. But given that the ending is the last thing we see, it's hard to imagine the filmmakers were hoping "flat" would be the emotion the audience exits the theatre feeling. Tom Wilkinson is terrific.

Ottimo Legal thriller con una trama forse un po' lenta, ma comunque carica di suspense. Michael è avvocato di uno studio legale che tratta gli interessi di grandi multinazionali. Un collega e amico accusa un loro cliente di provocare seri danni alla salute della popolazione. All'inizio viene preso per matto, ma poi quando viene assassinato e l'assassinio viene camuffato da suicidio, Clayton va a fondo della questione. Ottima la regia e ottimi gli attori. Clooney al top. BD ottimo sotto ogni aspetto. Per gli amanti del genere. Ottimo il servizio Amazon.

Wenn Michael Clayton (G.Clooney) das erste Mal im Film ins Blickfeld rückt, spielt er Poker. Dies ist kein Zufall, denn man kann es symbolisch sehen, als Anwalt den er spielt, der alles auf eine Karte setzt... Clooney spielt einen desillusionierten Anwalt, der von seiner Kanzlei als Mann für`s Grobe eingesetzt wird. Er betreut Fälle bei denen sich andere nicht die Finger schmutzig machen. Nun muss er sich um seinen Freund und Arbeitskollegen Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) kümmern, der Prozessbevollmächtigter der Kanzlei ist und bei einer Anhörung zur Sammelklage gegen einen großen Pharmakonzern durchgedreht ist, da er glaubt Beweise für die Schuld des Konzerns, den er vertreten soll, gefunden zu haben. Das interessieiert die eiskalte Konzernanwältin (klasse gespielt von Tilda Swinton, die zurecht den Oscar erhielt) nicht, im Gegenteil. Sie hat kein Interesse an Untersuchungen und als A. Edens versucht den Skandal publik zu machen greift sie zu drastischen Mitteln, welche zuerst Edens und bald daraufhin auch Clayton zu spüren bekommen... Fazit: Packender Wirtschafts- und Justizthriller mit einem Hauch Gesellschaftskritik (Käuflichkeit von Menschen), super Athmosphäre und exzellenten Darstellerleistungen. ABSOLUTE KAUFEMPFEHLUNG!!! Übrigens: FINGER WEG VON DER BLU RAY DISC! Schlechter Bildtransfer!

Awesome 😎 film 🎞️ !

Wees je ervan bewust dat deze bluray disc alleen Duitse ondertiteling heeft. Het heeft wel de originele taal (Engels) naast de Duitse nasynchronisering maar geen Engelse ondertiteling. Dat is nogal ongebruikelijk.

For some people may be kind of slow, but is impecable and important