Michael Clayton

How do you make a movie with 6 or 7 Oscar winners and yet eek out only 1 winner from the project? One Wonders.

Writer/Director Tony Gilroy (The Devil's Advocate, Proof of Life, and the Bourne series) has spun a masterpiece. The opening dialogue sets up the rest of the story perfectly. The script is smart and the acting is on target. No pun intended.

Tom Wilkinson (Sense and Sensibility, Shakespeare in Love, and Batman Begins) is at the top of his craft thus far in his role as a legendary attorney who has finally been had enough of defending a rotten product from a corrupt corporation. His work earned him an Oscar nomination, and well worthy it was. I can't imagine any other actor who could have pulled this part off better, if at all.

Tilda Swinton (Vanilla Sky, Adaptation, and The Chronicles of Narnia) did win Best Supporting Actress for her work here, and a more loathsome corporate General Counsel if difficult to find. Her constant rehearsing confirms many of our suspicions about attorneys.

Yes, yes, George Clooney (Three Kings, O Brother Where Art Thou?, and Ocean's Eleven) is the title character here, but he is not the star. He is the box office, but not the draw. I found his effort here less than convincing, wooden, hallow, and unconvincing. I can think of a dozen others who would have done a better job. Despite this, the movie is very very good.

This is clearly a good story, well written, well told, well acted, and well received.

Watch this movie with someone who can follow the subplot when it raises it vague head.