What Do The Critics Say?

"Clooney, for his part, allows his movie star looks to go flabby and soft (all things being relative, of course), and he buries the performance way down in his gut." Ty Burr BOSTON GLOBE "A resonant throwback with deep roots to the political thrillers of the 1970s; slick, smart and saturated in dramatic paranoia." Jeanne Aufmuth PALO ALTO WEEKLY "Smart and exciting, Michael Clayton takes the audience on a ride whose pleasures almost sneak up on you and are all the more satisfying because of it." Bill Goodykoontz ARIZONA REPUBLIC "It's a cool, intelligent thriller and boasts a closing confrontation between Clooney and Swinton that is truly stand-out." Tim Evans SKY MOVIES "Clooney looks a little worn, and the shagginess becomes him. He gives a beautiful, modulated performance, he’s never been more likable." David Denby NEW YORKER "It is just about perfect as an exercise in the genre. I've seen it twice, and the second time, knowing everything that would happen, I found it just as fascinating because of how well it was all shown happening." Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

"Clooney is as good as he has ever been. The writer and director, Tony Gilroy, makes Swinton a fascinating face of evil. Gilroy wrote all three Bourne films, but Michael Clayton is a vastly different kind of conspiracy thriller. The last shot of the film, is hauntingly strange and sad; I didn’t want the image to fade to black." David Edelstein NEW YORK MAGAZINE "A deliberate and measured look at what happens when you wake up one day and realize you can no longer recognize the man staring back at you from the bathroom mirror." Brandon Fibbs CHRISTIANITY TODAY "Michael Clayton is a riveting, suspenseful, rip-roaring entertainment." Pam Grady REELCOM "This is Gilroy's first film as director; I can't wait to see what he's got next." Moira MacDonald SEATTLE TIMES "A mystery-thriller that is truly delightful to savor." Sean McBride SEAN THE MOVIE GUY "Tony Gilroy, co-author of the superb Jason Bourne film trilogy, makes a stunning directorial debut with "Michael Clayton", an out-of-courtroom drama that helps solidify George Clooney's acting bona fides. Even in his Oscar-winning role in "Syriana", Clooney didn't face the challenges that he confronts here, in scenes with the brilliant Wilkinson and in an absolutely perfectly written, acted and directed confrontation with Tilda Swinton's Karen Crowder, the chief counsel for the accused agrichemical company. Every performance in this film is spot-on." Jack Mathews NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The Inside Story The original inspiration for "Michael Clayton" came to Gilroy during visits to New York law firms when he was doing research to write the screenplay of “The Devil’s Advocate.” Gilroy recalls, "Wandering through these giant New York law offices, I was struck by how much goes on behind the scenes. Every firm had vast, back-of-the-house departments running twenty-four hours a day to keep them afloat." In developing the script, Gilroy spent time talking to a gamut of law office personnel, including attorneys, paralegals and partners. Gilroy notes, "I heard a story about a firm involved in a huge corporate litigation that had gone on for almost a decade. The case had been essentially settled, and the firm had prevailed. The settlement was over a billion dollars. Things were so far down the line that the firm had begun clearing out the document rooms that had housed all the filings and paperwork. Two days before the final signing, at four o’clock in the morning, a third-year associate found a document that had never been placed in discovery. It was a very bad document, which would’ve meant a complete reversal of the case. The document never saw the light of day, and that associate had the fastest partner promotion in the history of the firm." "Tony’s script was interesting to me right off the bat," says producer Sydney Pollack, who was one of the early producers attracted to the project and also stars in the film as Marty Bach. "It is relevant and gets to the heart of the matter without lecturing, and it tells a story which has genuine suspense independent of moral issues." Gilroy emphasizes that, "Michael Clayton isn’t an issue film. There’s no ideological debate. There’s no dark overlord arguing for some greater good. You’ve got a choir of fear and self-preservation on one side and the lone voice of a manic, un-medicated virtuoso on the other. Michael Clayton represents the rest of us in the middle. What will he do?" "I enjoyed Tony’s realistic approach to telling the story. It’s a reflection of our world today. The main characters in "Michael Clayton" have chosen career paths that come with certain rewards and compromises. It takes tremendous courage for someone to risk losing everything in order to do the right thing," says producer Steven Samuels ("In the Valley of Elah") of Samuels Media. Oscar winning actor George Clooney was cast in the lead role of Michael Clayton who Gilroy describes as "a complicated character; he’s not a hero who always does the right thing. All the traits that have served him so well before; his charm, his ease, his authority—none of those things are of much use to him as the story progresses. All the charisma in the world isn’t going to help you find your way home when you’re lost. Lots of actors say they want to play parts like that, but it takes a certain kind of bravery and ambition to hang your neck out there and really do it." "One of the things that interested me about this project was that Tony had been saving this script for himself to direct," George Clooney notes. "Tony has had much success as a screenwriter, and has been around the block enough to know what he wants. He was clearly driven to make the film, and his confidence was inspiring." "George is very believable in the part, and has that unique spark that gives "Michael Clayton" the ability to charm people into believing that he’ll make their problems go away," Producer Jennifer Fox ("Good Night, and Good Luck" & "Syriana") offered. "George obviously has all the chops, and he’s intelligent and charming. He can be very convincing as someone’s who’s conflicted, which made him perfect for the role, " Gilroy says. "My first meeting with George lasted eleven hours." Clooney and Gilroy found much common ground in their affinity for nineteen seventies cinema and spent much of their marathon meeting discussing their various influences and inspirations, overlapping decisively on such directors as Alan J Pakula, Sydney Pollack and Sidney Lumet. "There was a certain electricity about the way films were made in the seventies. The characters were complex. The films were beautiful, yet they weren’t pretty. They didn’t always wrap up neatly in the end," says Gilroy. "It was a time of groundbreaking social progress, and filmmakers were really into reflecting that," adds Clooney. "This movie deals with social conscience in an entertaining way. Tony’s script was written with the passion of a filmmaker, and scripts like this don’t come around very often." As with many of Gilroys films, there is a New York connection. The films writer/director grew up in the village of Washingtonville in Orange County, New York. Inspiration for the back story of "Michael Clayton" came from his own personal experiences. "I grew up in Washingtonville, a real cops and firemen town on the outskirts of New York City. Every kid on my school bus had a father who was either a cop or a fireman. "Michael Clayton" is from a proud, working-class neighborhood where his father was a cop and his brother, Gene, is now on the force. Michael is the first male in his family who’s not a cop." Michael’s career choice has created distance between himself and his family. His decision to commit the last fifteen years of his life to Kenner, Bach & Ledeen has begun to take its toll. He barely has time to see his ten year old son Henry (played by ten y.o Austin Williams), of whom he shares custody with his ex-wife, and even less time to see his ailing father. Worse, Michael has a younger, alcoholic brother, Timmy, who drove their once-promising business venture into the ground and stuck Michael with an $80,000 debt, a sum he must pay in less than a week to avoid unstated consequences. "Michael’s one hope for escaping the fixer business was his walk-away money, but that’s been blown on the business with Timmy, leaving Michael with very few options," says Clooney. Tom Wilkinson was cast as Arthur Edens, senior litigating partner of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen and lead defense architect for the U/North case. "Tom was the first person I thought of," says Clooney. "He has been so strong in his previous roles and was just perfect for this pivotal character." "Tom brought so much life to the role," adds two-time Oscar winner Pollack (Best picture. Best Director. "Out Of Africa"). "It’s not easy to tell a story about morals without coming off as self-righteous or didactic." Gilroy describes the 2002 Independent Spirit Award ("In The Bedroom") and 1998 BAFTA winning actor ("The Full Monty") as an immaculate film actor. "You need to feel Arthur’s intelligence; you need to see a momentary glimpse of his brilliance as an attorney. At the same time, I wanted the audience to approach the character with affection. Tom draws you in. Your heart goes out to Arthur," the director notes. "Tom’s performance pulls you into the strangeness and the excitement of what Arthur’s experiencing," Pollack says, "so watching his crisis of conscience is both compelling and entertaining." What was it that attracted the acclaimed British actor to play the manic-depressive lawyer? Gilroy's script. "There was no question this is one of the best scripts I’d ever read. It’s very smartly written. What’s also interesting to me is that, like so many people, Arthur started off in the law profession fresh out of school with strong ideals and noble intentions, but years down the road he finds himself defending the indefensible and completely skewed from who he once was—all for money and preserving a way of life. He’s allowed his soul to be sullied and corrupted beyond recognition." Coppa Volpe winner Tilda Swinton was cast as the just promoted U/North in-house chief counsel, Karen Crowder. Swinton, who wowed audiences when she appeared in "The Deep End" is an actress who "stood out in my mind," says Gilroy. "She is somebody who is strong enough to carry the extra burden of Karen's solitary scenes. She is also very convincing in portraying someone who’s deeply flawed." Swinton describes her character Karen as "a high-powered executive who’s overwhelmed by ambition and seduced by money and power. I think there are a lot of people in all sorts of high-level business situations who will sympathize with the kind of panic attack she has. There are three billion dollars at stake, and those sums of money can do really bad things to people’s judgment." Gilroy says he has "great affection for Karen. Odd as it may sound, I find a way to root for her in every scene." "I spoke to several female lawyers in very high places, and they found it very easy to understand the kind of pressure for a woman in Karen’s position," Swinton recalled. "It’s a very tough line to walk, and it feels like everyone’s watching your every move, hoping you’ll falter." And falter she will. Swinton's portrayal of a woman under pressure and spiralling downwards is fascinating to watch. Iconic actor, director, producer Sydney Pollack was cast as Marty Bach, a founding partner of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen. "When I got the call from Tony about acting in the film, I really didn’t think I had the time,” Pollack recalls. “It’s not because I don’t enjoy acting, but because it was a really busy time for us at Mirage. Still, Tony’s energy and determination was infectious so I couldn’t turn him down." "Michael Clayton" marks a sensational directing debut for the man who penned the script for "The Bourne Supremacy" and co-wrote the other two films. Clooney remembers meeting Gilroy and thinking, "I like this guy and I think he’s smart. Most important, he knows what he wants." Pollack notes, "There’s something quite seasoned about Tony’s approach." "Tony just exudes confidence. He really does. You can see it in his eyes," says Samuels. "The thought of directing my first feature with such a high-caliber team was intimidating," says Gilroy. "Fortunately, I’ve had great support from a group I really trusted and relied on." Synopsis

Michael Clayton is an in-house 'fixer' at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen's dirtiest work at the behest of the firm's co-founder Marty Bach. Though burned out and hardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business venture with his brother, and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. Meanwhile, over at U/North, the career of in-house chief counsel Karen Crowder rests on the multi million dollar settlement of a class action suit Clayton's firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. When Kenner Bach's brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens goes off his medication and sabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life. Karen in the mean time has called in special help. Mr Verne's brief is to tidy things up, quickly.

The Verdict "Directors Guild of America Award winner and 2006 Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner George Clooney returns to the screen in this highly rewarding drama/thriller "Michael Clayton". It's a 'Rockyesque' role for Clooney who's acting chops are pitted against some real heavyweights in the shape of Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton and the inimitable BAFTA Film Award winning British actor Tom Wilkinson. Clooney really looks the part as Michael Clayton, a 'fixer' for law firm Kenner, Bach & Ledeen. As was the case with "Good Night, And Good Luck" everything about his latest film exudes class including the directorial debut of Bourne screenwriter Tony Gilroy. It is interesting to note that, as has been the case with most of the previous films Gilroy has adapted or screenplayed, there is a New York connection. Gilroy's "Michael Clayton" is both exciting and rewarding, with more than enough twists and turns to guarantee audiences will be kept on their toes. The film is crisply edited by Gilroy's younger brother John and faultlessly shot by 2006 Independent Spirit Award winner D.O.P, Robert Elswit A.C.E ("Good Night, and Good Luck"). The cast is super. Tilda Swinton, who picked up the Volpi Cup for her role in "Edward II" and a decade later wowed audiences as Margaret Hall in Scott McGehee and David Siegel's "The Deep End", gives an attention commanding performance as Karen Crowder. Tom Wilkinson, who should have received far greater reward for "In The Bedroom", nearly steals the film as out of control lawyer, Arthur Edens. The pressence of Sydney Pollack adds more depth to the lead roles. The acclaimed Oscar winning director ("Out of Africa") is such a pressence on-screen, it's hard not to notice him. When it comes to George Clooney, I personally feel his performance is every bit as good as the one he gave us as Everett in the Coen Brothers, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and a cut above his Oscar winning role in "Syriana". While "Michael Clayton" is a very entertaining film, it is also a 'stayers' film. It is evenly paced, building and building until it reaches its climatic conclussion when at last it reveals the winners and losers in what is essentially a tale of power, corruption and deceit. Very recommended. 4 1/2 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "MICHAEL CLAYTON" stars .......
Academy Award winner George Clooney ["Good Night, and Good Luck", "Syriana", "The Good German" and "Ocean's Thirteen"]; Tilda Swinton ["Young Adam", "Constantine", "Broken Flowers" and "The Chronicles of Narnia"]; Tom Wilkinson ["In The Bedroom", "The Exorcism of Emily Rose", "Separate Lies" and "The Night of the White Pants"]; Academy Award winner Sydney Pollack ["Tootsie", "Husbands and Wives", "Changing Lanes" and "The Interpreter"]; Michael O'Keefe ["Caddyshack", "The Pledge", "The Glass House" and "Delusion"]; Robert Prescott ["Bachelor Party", "Joy of Sex" and "A Man Is Mostly Water"] and Merritt Wever ["The Adventures of Sebastian Cole", "Signs" and "Into the Wild"] as Anna.
"MICHAEL CLAYTON" was .......
directed by Tony Gilroy ["Michael Clayton"]; screenplay by Tony Gilroy ["Armageddon", "The Bourne Identity", "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum"]; art direction by EMMY Award winner Clay Brown ["Michael Clayton"]; costume design by Sarah Edwards ["The Devil's Advocate", "The Last Days of Disco", "Igby Goes Down" and "The Interpreter"]; production design by Kevin Thompson ["Party Girl", "Igby Goes Down", "Trust The Man" and "Stay"]; edited by EMMY Award winner John Gilroy ["Billy Madison", "Narc" and "Trust the Man"]; director of photography by Independent Spirit Award Robert Elswit ["8MM", "Punch-Drunk Love", "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Syriana"]; original music by ASCAP Award winner James Newton Howard ["Collateral Damage", "The Interpreter", "King Kong", "Blood Diamond" and "The Lookout"]; music design by Clay Duncan ["The Island", "The Hitcher", "The Lookout" and "Transformers"]; casting by Ellen Chenoweth ["O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Intolerable Cruelty" and "Good Night, and Good Luck"]. Who's Who?

George Clooney Tom Wilkinson Michael O'Keefe Sydney Pollack Tilda Swinton Robert Prescott Kevin Hagan Julia Gibson Sean Cullen David Lansbury Austin Williams Merritt Wever Susan Egbert Wai Chan Christopher Mann Edward Furs David Zayas Denis O'Hare Julie White

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Michael Clayton Arthur Edens Barry Grissom Marty Bach Karen Crowder Mr Verne Raymond Clayton Stephanie Clayton Gene Clayton Timmy Clayton Henry Clayton Anna Michelle Chinese Dealer Lieutenant Elston Milwaukee Captain Detective Dalberto Mr Greer Mrs Greer

Run Time 119 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - Warner Bros - All Rights Reserved ©2007 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.