Michael Clayton (2007)

Michael Clayton is a taut legal thriller about a burned-out “fixer” for a high-powered New York law firm who is forced to confront corruption, loyalty and his own demons. Michael Clayton spends his days quietly cleaning up other people’s disasters—calling in favors, smoothing over scandals, and making inconvenient problems disappear. When Arthur Edens, the firm’s brilliant but unstable litigator working a multibillion-dollar class-action suit against an agrochemical conglomerate (U-North), has a public breakdown and starts threatening the case, Clayton is dispatched to contain the fallout. As he peels back layers of the case he discovers that the client’s legal team and the corporation may be hiding far darker actions than mere corporate malfeasance. At the same time Michael is juggling crippling debt caused by his brother’s addiction, a dangerous loan shark, and escalating threats to his own life—including an attempt on him that turns his world even more dangerous. Watching Michael Clayton is a tense, slow-burning experience: the film builds a quiet, morally ambiguous atmosphere punctuated by sudden moments of violence and revelation. Viewers can expect meticulous plotting, courtroom and behind-the-scenes power plays, and a protagonist who is both weary and resourceful. Themes of ethics versus self-preservation, corporate corruption, and personal redemption run through the story, and the pacing favors suspense and character over spectacle. It’s a gripping, character-driven mystery that leaves you thinking about the costs of cleaning up other people’s messes long after the credits roll.

Actors: George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson

Director: Tony Gilroy

Runtime: 119 min

Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery

6.3 /10 82 /100 7.2 /10 7.2 /10