Michael Clayton (2007) is so disappointing because talented actors give their all for a stereotypical story. A tremendous amount of talent has gone into producing a story which has been told before: Corporate lawyers defend a big chemical company against a class action suit. Guess what? The company is guilty. Guess what? After years of working on the case, one lawyer (Tom Wilkinson) cracks under the strain of ripping off the salt-of-the-earth farmers poisoned by the chemicals. Guess what? The chemical company assigns their evil lawyer (Tilda Swinton) and two hired killers to set things “right.” In the final showdown between the law firms “fixer” who has been slowly repulsed by the whole affair (George Clooney) and the evil lawyer from the evil chemical company, do you think he is wired to record the conversation in which the evil lawyer agrees to a bribe?
Tom Wilkinson give a superb performance as a brilliant and dedicated lawyer who cracks after years of fighting for wrong. His crazy scenes are not so extreme that they seem fake; they seem a realistic manifestation of his disorienting revulsion. When he occasionally become lucid—as when he explains how the law firm cannot confine him involuntarily—his voice and demeanour change perfectly to allow a glimpse of the formidable intelligence at work. Tilda Swinton is equally good as the company lawyer who is almost cracking under the strain of devoting her entire life to corporate interests and staying on top of the corporate ladder. Although George Clooney plays with a much more restricted emotional range, within those parameters, he is completely convincing. Even the minor characters, such as the boy who plays Michael Clayton’s son, do a commendable acting job. But all of this acting brilliance is to tell a stale story.
posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 3:34 PM by JimBell