I plunked down in front of “Michael Clayton” with heightened anticipation, having been bombarded with nearly unanimous positive reviews of this Tony Gilroy-directed film. Armed with seven Academy Award nominations, this was lauded as one of the year’s very best movies, a dramatic sizzler that broke conventions in a big way. As the final credits rolled, I couldn’t argue with the assertion that the movie is good … but my biggest impression was closer to seeing yet another John Grisham flick in which Susan Sarandon was noticeably absent than witnessing a truly groundbreaking film.
Don’t get me wrong; I loved the premise of having a chief litigator go off the deep end due to a crisis of conscience in an incredibly important and controversial lawsuit. Tom Wilkinson was brilliant, in my opinion—more than worthy of his nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. This was the first movie in which I’d seen a serious George Clooney act, and he was the ideal fit for the role of “fixer.” The flick was filled with dramatic and tension-filled moments, and the cinematography in some scenes was stunning; namely, the stark, black-and-white, early-dawn feel ascribed to Clayton’s meeting with the three horses, strikingly offset by the sudden explosion of his car in the background.
Tilda Swinton was certainly jarring in her role as a haunted representative of the company, U-North, that was doing its best to cover up its role in harming its clients. She appeared to move throughout the film as if in a dream, seemingly in disbelief at the choices he has had to make and the decisions she has arrived at—and what they could ultimately cost her. Yet it also felt as if she was barely in the movie, even though she took home Best Supporting Actress honors.
I felt that some of the details surrounding the actual case involving U-North and the four-day flashback were a tad confusing. Also, while the resolution seemed to come suddenly and abruptly, I suspect that was by design for Gilroy. However, the final scene leading into the credits seemed a little forced and melodramatic to me.
Ultimately, I wonder if I came in with expectations for “Michael Clayton” that were a little too high, based on the raves I got from film freaks I know and respect. While the movie has been hailed as a throwback to ‘70s films like “Network” and even “Chinatown,” I found myself considering it as something closer to “Insider.” Not that that is a bad thing at all, but I didn’t find myself getting the Oscar vibe while taking in this flick … even though that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment it inspires and the belief that it is a really good, strong film.
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