MICHAEL CLAYTON
US, 2007, 119 minutes, Colour.
George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O’ Keefe.
Directed by Tony Gilroy.
This is a drama for those who really enjoy the novels, say, of John Grisham. It deals with lawyers, fixers, corrupt companies, class actions and deceit concerning products that damage human life. It is also a drama about family and the complex elements all come together with justice being finally done. It was written and directed by Tony Gilroy who was responsible for the story of The Bourne Ultimatum. Like this thriller, Michael Clayton also shows a great deal about surveillance, industrial espionage and the technology for destruction.
Michael Clayton, played with less glamour by George Clooney, is a 45 year old part success but seeming whole loser in his life and profession. He is an expert fixer for a legal firm and has the skill to come in, assess a situation and go into action. However, when an associate (Tom Wilkinson) has a breakdown, he finds that he is unable to help him. Part of the breakdown concerns his six years of being devoted to demolishing a class action against a powerful chemical company (represented by a rather sinister Tilda Swinton).
The opening of the film leads to some immediate interest and suspense and then the screenplay moves back to four days earlier to build up again and move through the legal crises, the deal crises as well as to spend some time on Michael Clayton's personal problems and those of his son and his brothers.
The film is dark, serious and thought provoking in that Grisham kind of way (which is a compliment) and has a strong supporting cast including Sidney Pollack as the head of the legal firm.
1.The blend of thriller, legal drama, environmental drama?
2.The New York settings, winter, the contrast with Wisconsin? The city, the countryside, the fields and the horses? Interiors: apartments, offices, police precincts? Authentic settings? The musical score?
3.The structure of the film: the introduction with Arthur and his voice-over ravings? Michael Clayton playing cards, phone call, going on the job, driving, something wrong with the car, the discussion with the driver and the hit-run, stopping with the horses, the explosion? Going back four days, Michael Clayton and his life, his work, the Fixer, the variety of problems, U- North and its dealings, Karen, Marty and Barry in the legal office? The pressures, the personal story, family? Helping Arthur? His death, the investigation? The climax? The solution?
4.The title, George Clooney and his style, not a glamorous performance? Karen and the data about him, the information, background, studies, the law, his jobs, the Fixer, marriage, the son? His loyalty to the firm? Love for his son? Support for Arthur? Helping his brothers?
5.Clayton as the Fixer, the opening with the hit-run driver, his wife’s outburst? The collage of him working at his desk, the phone calls, the legal points, the decisions? Going into action? The background issue of the company, the merger, his availability?
6.His playing cards, the gambling, the background of opening the bar, losing his money, his hopes for something after his Fixer work? Tim and his drinking, losing the money? Despair? The emotions, Tim turning up at the birthday party, talking in front of Henry? His help after the bomb? The home scene, the father’s birthday, the party, the relatives, Michael staying an hour, talking with his brother, the favour, the search of Arthur’s room? The difficulties with the police chief? His helping his brother at the end with the arrest?
7.Arthur, the voice-over and the ravings, the performance in front of the video, people’s puzzle about him? Michael going to rescue him? The hotel, Arthur’s escape? His working on the case for six years, his legal genius, the oppression of the six years, his changing his mind, the documentation and his printing it in the cover of Henry’s book? Going off his medication? The effect? In New York, buying the bread, arranging for Anna to come from Wisconsin? His character, his decisions? The pathos of the murder?
8.The portrait of the company, Don Jeffries, Karen, her rehearsing in front of the mirror, the actual delivering of the speech, answering all the questions? Her promotion? Watching the video, orders to her staff? Meeting Clayton, underestimating him? Her fear of exposure, the phone call and the codes, her lack of conscience, the orders for the murder? The final meeting, Clayton confronting her, taping her?
9.The thugs, their capacities for surveillance, tapping the phones, the break into Arthur’s apartment, murdering him? Finding Michael Clayton, going to the hotel for Anna, going to Arthur’s apartment? The ability to kill and cover up? Planting the bomb, the bad timing?
10.Marty, CEO of the legal firm, busy, the deals and the merger, the client relationship with U-North? His worry about Arthur, getting his documents? Michael and the loan? Barry and the conditions? Their grief at Arthur’s death and their reaction?
11.Michael, seeing him at cards again, having paid the debts? Playing but leaving?
12.His exasperation after the hit-run driver, the side road, the horses, the bomb going off, putting his watch and documents in the car? Suddenly appearing, confronting Karen, tricking Karen, the end and handing over the information to the police and his brother?
13.The use of the close-up during the ending, to ponder the issues of identity, career, loyalties, truth and justice?
