Product Description

Attorney Michael Clayton is a ?fixer? the go-to guy when his powerful New York law firm wants a mess swept under the rug. But now he?s handed a crisis even he may not be able to fix. The firm?s top litigator in a $3-billion case has gone from advocate to whistleblower. And the more Michael tries to undo the damage the more he?s up against forces that put corporate survival over human life ? including Michael?s. George Clooney portrays Michael backed into a career corner that offers little room to fight free in this suspense- and star-packed thriller written and directed by Tony Gilroy (writer/co-writer of the Bourne movie trilogy). Keep your eyes on Michael Clayton. He has some life-or- death decisions to make. Fast.Running Time: 119 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA UPC: 085391142560 Manufacturer No: 114256

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1456 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2008-02-19
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.25 pounds
• Running time: 120 minutes

Amazon.com
George Clooney's performance drives this tense corporate thriller from Bourne trilogy screenwriter James Gilroy, who makes his directorial debut here. Clooney is the eponymous "hero," a burnt-out lawyer who cleans up legal messes created by the clients of a large law firm. When a crisis materializes in the form of the firm's top shark (Tom Wilkinson) suffering an apparent meltdown while defending a shady chemical company from lawsuits, Clayton discovers not only a cover-up to deny payments to farmers injured by the company's products, but a chance to find some purpose in the face of his life's downward. Clooney (who also co-produced the film) brings soul and quiet determination to his beleaguered character, and there's excellent support from Wilkinson, Sydney Pollack (also a co-producer), and Michael O'Keefe; Gilroy's script also does a solid job of stacking the deck against Clayton as he attempts to ferret out the truth behind the cover-up. Unfortunately, the film settles for a pat conclusion that, while emotionally satisfying, feels forced and delivers an overly simplistic message (corporations can be bad; morally questionable work can make one feel dirty). And Tilda Swinton is wasted in a thankless role as the chemical company's nerve-wracked and unsympathetic legal counsel. Still, Clooney fans will appreciate this fine addition to his growing roster of flawed heroes. -- Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

Evil Women Sometimes Fall Victim to Psychosomatic Gastric Distress--and other things
Such great acting in this suspense drama by all parties. Could have used a little more interaction between the three brothers to clarify, perhaps. This is the finest acting I have seen from George Clooney. Very good, indeed. All 'round.

One of the only five-star reviews I've ever given
I'll admit that it's tough for me to give anything five stars, because it's the near-equivalent of saying something is perfect. Well, "Michael Clayton" is a thoroughly enjoyable piece of cinema. The movie is well-cast, particulary with regard to Clooney, Wilkinson, Swinton and Pollack. It's even nice to see Danny Noonan from "Caddyshack" back in action.

If you're looking for some sort of high-action shoot-'em-up full of pursuits, stunts and explosions, please look elsewhere.

Legal Thriller Packs a Whallop
I didn't have much enthusiasm for "Michael Clayton". I thought the legal arena on film had been definitely tackled by Sidney Lumet's "The Verdict" some 25 years ago. Boy, was I wrong! Without entering a courtroom except for a filmed deposition this film casts a jaundiced eye on the legal profession that knocks you for a loop. The film centers on a prestigious law firm as it prepares the defense of a multi-national in a class action lawsuit. Michael Clayton(George Clooney) is the firms fixer, a lawyer who handles the more unsavory aspects of a case without sullying the firm's reputation. Though Clayton is a flawed individual he starts to have doubts about his activities. This is heightened when a manic-depressive colleague(Tom Wilkinson) who is the chief defender in the lawsuit begins to display erratic behavior. Clayton is not so much redeemed in this film but he wants to erradicate some of the muck that he wallows in. This is bar none Clooney's best performance. He's called on here to play a seriously flawed person and yet engender sympathy from the audience. It's not a mannered work but a carefully modulated one. The real revelation here is Wilkinson, though. Many actors have chewed the scenery playing characters with mental problems but Wilkinson plumbs the depth of Arthur to deliver a highly sympathetic and humane performance. Judging Wilkinson's work here I would have given him the Oscar over Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men". By an eyelash. The late Sydney Pollack delivers a fitting epitaph to a storied career as the straight-talking senior partner. Judging from her work here I was a little puzzled by the Oscar Tilda Swinton won. She's certainly good but there's nothing earth shattering about her performance. My guess it was more of a body of work thing.