Danny's Review:
• Language including some Sexual Dialogue Running Time: 120 Minutes Very Important: A Sense of Humor is for Maximum Enjoyment of this Review Page! If you need to understand why, Click Here! NOTE: All studio images/trailers and content is used for the purpose of publicity and No Copyright Infringement Is Intended.
   
I went to see this Drama Movie back in October 2007 when my I got my hands on some free tickets to the sneak preview before the main release date. After the movie was over, I was telling everyone I knew that this was one of the best Drama Movies of 2007! Seriously! Absolutely No Doubt in my mind! I am a fan of smart intelligent thrillers like Michael Clayton. This movie requires the audience to Pay Attention and Think! Normally, I won't tolerate Movies that don't have Lots of Violence and Gratuitous Sex that do nothing to help the storyline. But sometimes a Drama Movie is so good....that Danny doesn't mind. As shocked as you might be, you're no where near as shocked as Danny! The characters in Michael Clayton are NOT very good looking....even George Clooney looks overweight and worn down. Especially his face. But that just adds to the realism of the characters and the story.  George Clooney plays a burnt out corporate lawyer — Michael Clayton. A guy, who if he choose to, could have been a superstar in his field, but deliberately chooses to stay out of the spotlight and to NOT advance his own career. Clayton chooses instead to open a bar....and when the bar goes bankrupt, he is put into a position to have to borrow money to pay off his creditors. And when this is coupled with his secret gambling addiction....well, you can see why Clayton stays with his main lawyer gig even though he hates it. This is a guy who is a lawyer to "Pay The Bills", but he has no Passion for it. And it shows on his face and his posture. He feels compelled to "Fix" other people's personal dilemmas....but never takes the time to fix his own.  This Drama Movie also shows his relationship, or lack thereof, with his family and ex-wife. A scene that really "Spoke To Me" is when his Clayton's son asks him questions about his gambler, loser uncle. Clayton stops the car, looks his son in the eyes and tells him how much better he is then his uncle or the other asshole losers of the world. That he is destined to succeed in life. Clayton tells his son this with such sincerity and passion that you know he got through to his son. It's the kind of talk that every boy and girl needs from their parents.  Things become very complicated for Clayton when his Lawyer Friend and Mentor, played by Tom Wilkinson, has a mental breakdown in during a court case. Clayton has to try prevent his friend from destroying their Defense in a Class Action Lawsuit that has nearly bankrupted their law firm. Clayton's friend completely loses his mind.....and tries to help the very people his law firm was hired to Destroy in court. Billions of dollars are on the line for the company the law firm is representing and for the law firm themselves.... ....So Murder becomes an easy option to prevent financial ruin from occurring. Without realizing it, Clayton becomes an accomplice to some serious crimes in order to keep this Deranged Lawyer's Big Mouth Shut.  Tom Wilkinson is fantastic as the mentally unstable lawyer who betrays his own law firm. You may remember Tom Wilkinson as the Mafia Leader in Batman Begins. Tilda Swinton gives a Very Strong Performance also. You may remember Tilda Swinton as the The Ice Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. A woman who has worked extremely hard to become the No. 2 person for a company worth Billions of Dollars and now her position becomes threatened by this Manic Lawyer. Sydney Pollack, in a supporting role, gives a strong performance too as a guy trying to keep his law firm from going bankrupt....Murder becomes an easy option for him too.  This is a strict Lawyer Thriller in the same league as John Grisham novels/movies like The Firm. This is the kind of Drama Movie that is Totally Dependant on the ability of the actors that have been casted. No weak links can be allowed in a movie like this. This Drama Movie doesn't rely on any special effects, stunts or other movie gimmicks. For people like me who really appreciate Strong Acting Performances....this is a Must-See! I would be Extremely Surprised if this Drama Movie doesn't get nominated for some Awards in the Actors and Actresses Categories. This Drama Movie, along with Zodiac, are two of the Best Movies I saw in 2007 solely because of the Acting alone. Be sure to watch Michael Clayton when it gets released on DVD on February 19, 2008. The DVD is being released 5 days before the Academy Awards Ceremony on February 24, 2008. Coincidence? Danny Doesn't Think So!  Click Here!  
UPDATE — January 22, 2008 Michael Clayton was Nominated for Seven Academy Awards for 2007: • Best Picture • Best Actor - George Clooney • Best Supporting Actor - George Wilkinson • Best Supporting Actress - Tilda Swinton • Best Director - Tony Gilroy • Best Original Screenplay - Tony Gilroy • Best Original Score - James Newton Howard UPDATE — February 24, 2008 Michael Clayton won One Academy Award for 2007: • Best Supporting Actress - Tilda Swinton 
Michael Clayton: You are the senior litigating partner of one of the largest, most respected law firms in the world. You are a legend. Arthur Edens: I'm an accomplice! Michael Clayton: You're a manic-depressive! Arthur Edens: I am Shiva, the god of death. Cool Movie Quote — No. 2 Michael Clayton: I'm not the guy you kill. I'm the guy you buy off! Are you so blind that you can't see that? I sold out Arthur for 80 grand. I'm your easiest problem and you try to kill me? Cool Movie Quote — No. 3 Arthur Edens: If you wanted to commit me, you should have kept me in Wisconsin, where my arrest, the videotape, and the eyewitness statements would have been enough to satisfy jurisdiction. I have no criminal record in the state of New York. And there's only one standard for involuntary commitment: danger. Is the subject a danger to himself or to others? If you want to do this, Michael, you better have your balls in order because the one place you don't want to see me is in court! Cool Movie Quote — No. 4 Marty Bach: We've got 600 attorneys here. We've got to find out who's an expert on psychiatric commitment statutes. Michael Clayton: I can tell you who that is....Arthur. Cool Movie Quote — No. 5 Barry Grissom: Look. I agreed to this, OK? But there's rules now. You want the contract, you're signing a confidentiality agreement; it's gonna be bulletproof, and it's gonna be retroactive. Because Marty's too nice to say it, but with everything you know about this place and the clients here and the people who work here, it makes it a little weird when you come in and ask for 80 grand. Michael Clayton: If I was gonna shake anybody down, Barry, I'd come directly to you, and it wouldn't be for 80 grand. [to Marty] Michael Clayton: Is this him, or is this you? Barry Grissom: Hey, if I'm wrong, I apologize. Michael Clayton: You're wrong. You're way the fuck wrong! Barry Grissom: So there you go.  IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes!  Classic Drama Movies 
|
||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 2007 Warner Bros,
