Michael Clayton
[DVD]

Description

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Thriller set in the murky world of corporate law. Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house 'fixer' at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of his employer's dirtiest work at the behest of the firm's co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack), to whom Clayton feels a deep loyalty. He arranges top-flight legal services and skirts through loopholes for their ethically questionable clients. Though burned out, disillusioned and hardly content with his job as a fixer, his messy private life has left him inextricably tied to the firm. Meanwhile, litigator Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) finds her entire company's future hinging on the outcome of a multi-billion dollar settlement overseen by Clayton's friend, star lawyer Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson). When Edens snaps and decides to blow the whistle on the questionable case, sabotaging the defence, Clayton finds himself in the centre of a conspiratorial maelstrom where he must decide between his loyalty and his conscience. AMAZON.CO.UK REVIEW George Clooney already has one acting Oscar to his name, and it’s unsurprising that immediately after the release of Michael Clayton, there were many arguing he was deserving of a second. For without a doubt, as impressive as the film is, it’s very much Clooney who powers this one forward. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who previously adapted the Bourne movies for the big screen, Clooney takes the title role as a lawyer who goes in to do the jobs that, bluntly, nobody else wants to know about. And before long, Clooney discovers a cover-up that proves to be a mighty challenge to uncover, and one the inevitably conflicts him as a result. Aided by a superb supporting cast that includes the likes of Sydney Pollack, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton at its best is a tense and effective thriller, written and directed steadfastly well by Gilroy. It’s not without a few problems, most notably a comparably weak conclusion and one or two underdeveloped characters. But it’s still a worthwhile film, and very much worth seeking out to simply enjoy a terrific performance from a Hollywood leading man who absolutely refuses to shy away from edgier roles. Long may he continue to do so. --Jon Foster

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