Michael Clayton

The directorial debut of noted screenwriter Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton stars Gorge Clooney as the title character – a “fixer” for a prestigious law firm who finds himself in a whole mess of trouble after a colleague (Tom Wilkinson’s Arthur Edens) puts a lucrative case in jeopardy. Gilroy has infused Michael Clayton with a complex, almost impenetrable sensibility that admittedly demands an awful lot of patience from the viewer, as the entirety of the movie’s opening hour is virtually impossible to comfortably follow. But as the story unfolds and the pieces start to fall into place, there’s no denying that Michael Clayton starts to morph into a surprisingly involving little drama/thriller. Clooney delivers as superb and fascinating a performance as one might’ve expected, and it’s to his credit that the movie remains watchable even through some of its more baffling stretches. The incredibly effective finale undoubtedly bumps Michael Clayton up several notches, and although it’s clear that the film doesn’t possess much in the way of mainstream appeal, it’s certainly a very effective first effort from a promising new filmmaker.

***1/2 out of ****