Michael Clayton

All too infrequently these days do I get to see a piece of what I consider to be masterful filmmaking. I'm not speaking here of simply direction or cinematography or writing or acting. I'm talking the whole package. 2006 was such a banal year at the movies that I remember lightning shooting through me after merely the first ten minutes of The Departed last Fall. This year's been a tad better, but I think Michael Clayton is the first film of '07 that has electrified me in that special way.

This is a drama/thriller cast very much from the '70's mold. There's a lot of Network here, and plenty more from Warren Beatty's finest decade - I'm thinking Parallax View. If you don't already know, George Clooney plays the titular character, a law firm's "fixer", who gets in way over his head when he tries to help his friend, a fellow attorney who's gone off his meds, jeopardizing a multi-billion dollar case. And that's just for starters. The drama is good and solid. The acting is top-notch; I can easily see nominations for Clooney, Tom Wilkinson (as the friend in need), and Tilda Swinton (to tell you more about her character is to give away too much of the plot). Big honors go to first-time director Tony Gilroy, most noted as the screenwriter for all three Jason Bourne flicks; he wrote the script for this as well. While not a slam-bang actioner like that trilogy, Michael Clayton shines with just as much energy and smarts, and - like Bourne - Clayton spends much of the movie trying to discover just who he is. (And, no, I did not just give away a major plot point. I'm speaking metaphorically, friends.)

These days, I tend to go into movies with low-to-no expectations. This way, I've found that I can enjoy pictures that a year ago I would have felt were - ahem - beneath me. With the pedigree - and positive reviews - associated with Michael Clayton, I couldn't bring myself to be prepared for mediocrity. I expected excellence. For a change, that's what I got.

(P.S. I really like the poster, too.)