Critic Reviews
Michael Clayton (2007) Rank 3 Reviews
Expert Review Summary
based on (262) reviews
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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
...a success because the actors work hard (but not too hard) to convey a sense of genuine investment in the onscreen problems, and because the rest of the behind-the-scenes technicians do immaculate, invisible work ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
Apollo Guide (Jamie Gillies)
The film's denouement is without question one of the best exercises in sustained and controlled excitement I've seen in a movie in a long while. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Apollo Guide (Jamie Gillies)
Wall Street Journal (Joe Morgenstern)
The pieces come together into a stirring portrait of a man reclaiming his soul from a scrap heap of discarded principles. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Wall Street Journal (Joe Morgenstern)
Film Monthly (Del Harvey)
Tony Gilroy is known as the screenwriter of such blockbusters as the Bourne films and Armageddon. And maybe adapting the Bourne films is what led to his writing this film; I donât know. But whatever it was, thank goodness he did. Clayton is one of th ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Film Monthly (Del Harvey)
PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
âThis is not an episode,â declares Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson). What heâs feeling, he continues, is far more pernicious and pervasive than the madness with which heâs been diagnosed: âIâm suddenly consumed with the overwhelming sensation that ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
In Michael Clayton George Clooney looks like a man whose pig just died.
Clooney's beloved pet pot-bellied porker Max passed away in December 2006
after a long and happy life of 18 years-- right at the beginning of
production shooting for the film. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at
Orlando Weekly (John Thomason)
Its hero is an amoral âfixerâ� for a major law firm whose personal life is in shambles. Its whistle-blowing voice of reason is a loony loose cannon who strips naked during depositions. Its representation of corporate evil is an insecure, guilt-drenc ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Orlando Weekly (John Thomason)
Cutting Edge
Dat George Clooney niet alleen een pretty face is, wisten we al langer dan vandaag. De acteur werpt zich geregeld op als het geweten van Hollywood. Zo schopt hij de Amerikanen geregeld tegen de schenen door president Bush op de korrel te nemen of door ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Cutting Edge
The Guardian (Peter Bradshaw)
George Clooney comes unprecedentedly near to playing a damaged man, a weak man, a defeated man, in this corporate-legal thriller, which comes swathed in a fur of anxiety and shame. Perhaps it could be objected that Clooney's style and body language as a ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Guardian (Peter Bradshaw)
Slate (Dana Stevens)
Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton feels so fresh, so smart, so different from the standard-issue legal thriller that it isn't until nearly an hour in that you notice how conventional a movie it actually is. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Slate (Dana Stevens)
Variety
Spare and unhurried, writer Tony Gilroy's directorial debut "Michael Clayton" features strong performances and a solid story, drawn from the familiar well of faceless corporations grinding ordinary people through their profit-making machinery. Yet ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Variety
"Michael Clayton" is smart. George Clooney continues to solidify his reputation as an intelligent actor with a film like "Michael Clayton". With an indie feel, it cranks up the darker side of people in this legal drama and shuns the commercialism of the ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at
The Phantom Tollbooth
If this film does anything it reaffirms the fact that George Clooney was born to wear a suit. Not too many people in the cinema world pull off the look like old Clooney. Style aside Michael Clayton is a well written, expertly acted drama that draws you ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Phantom Tollbooth
rec.arts.movies.reviews (Homer Yen)
"Michael Clayton" is smart. George Clooney
continues to solidify his reputation as an
intelligent actor with a film like "Michael
Clayton". With an indie feel, it cranks up the
darker side of people in this legal drama and
shuns the commercialism ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at rec.arts.movies.reviews (Homer Yen)
Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)
With the George Clooney-starring Michael Clayton , [Tony Gilroy] has not only saved his best script for himself, he's also turned out a smart and suspenseful legal thriller that comes completely alive on-screen. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)
ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
A brilliant debut by Gilroy, it takes its time to grab you but [then] keeps you riveted to the screen. No one should be surprised if it brings [Clooney] back to the Oscars. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
Maxim (Pete Hammond)
Just when you thought Hollywood might have forgotten how to make a smart adult thriller along comes a film like this. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Maxim (Pete Hammond)
Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Brilliantly precise in its deconstruction of dirty work and dirtier secrets, and a surprisingly subtle story of people who often can't tell if they're talking to a friend or an enemy. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
With his calm charismatic manner and a character whose control is challenged by debt and sleeplessness, it's Clooney who sustains the tension in a case of corporate corruption ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is a "fixer" retained by a high-priced law firm. He gets clients out of jams, handles cases that get ugly, carries the suitcase full of unmarked, nonconsecutive bills, and generally cleans up messes; he calls himself, ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
A brilliant debut by Gilroy, it takes its time to grab you but [then] keeps you riveted to the screen. No one should be surprised if it brings [Clooney] back to the Oscars. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
Arizona Republic (Bill Goodykoontz)
Smart and exciting, Michael Clayton takes the audience on a ride whose pleasures almost sneak up on you and are all the more satisfying because of it. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Arizona Republic (Bill Goodykoontz)
Channel 4 Film (Saxon Bullock)
A dark, engaging drama that asks some difficult moral questions, Michael Clayton is a classy piece of filmmaking with yet another in a long line of fine performances from George Clooney. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Channel 4 Film (Saxon Bullock)
Austin Chronicle (Steve Davis)
âThe first thing we do, letâs kill all the lawyers.â That oft-quoted line from one of Shakespeareâs plays may reverberate in your mind while watching the meticulous legal thriller Michael Clayton. To be clear, this smart and thoroughly entertainin ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Austin Chronicle (Steve Davis)
Metromix.com (Geoff Berkshire)
An engrossing intellectual thriller with a shrewd grasp of crowd-pleasing storytelling ... the kind of Hollywood movie we could use a lot more of. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Metromix.com (Geoff Berkshire)
Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
Literate and convincing. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
ReviewExpress.com (Diana Saenger)
Although we've seen many films about high-profile law firms versus the average Joe, watching Michael Clayton becomes more compelling every minute. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ReviewExpress.com (Diana Saenger)
Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)
What elevates it above the depressingly familiar storyline are the performances. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
Further proof that George Clooney is quite simply the movie star of our age. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)
With the George Clooney-starring Michael Clayton , [Tony Gilroy] has not only saved his best script for himself, he's also turned out a smart and suspenseful legal thriller that comes completely alive on-screen. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)
DVD Talk (Adam Tyner)
New York Times (Manohla Dargis)
Dark in color, mood and outraged worldview, Michael Clayton is a film that speaks to the way we live now. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Times (Manohla Dargis)
filmcritic.com (Sean O'Connell)
gripping and complicated ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at filmcritic.com (Sean O'Connell)
This is London (Derek Malcolm)
Clooney has seldom been better as Clayton, a man beginning to feel that his skill is not exactly being put to good uses. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at This is London (Derek Malcolm)
Times [UK] (James Christopher)
Gorgeous George is wonderfully jaundiced as Michael Clayton, an amoral corporate lawyer who has made his name by defending the indefensible. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Times [UK] (James Christopher)
Total Film (Matt Mueller)
Continuing to seek out writer/directors with something to say, Clooneys latest pair-up packs its anti-corporate agenda with enough meat to keep you hooked. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Total Film (Matt Mueller)
The Critical Critics
Michael Clayton is the directorial debut of Tony Gilroy (better known for his Bourne series screenplays). It stars George Clooney as Mister Clayton himself; a fixer of things in need of a solution (think Winston Wolfe in Pulp Fiction, only not as ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Critical Critics
Eye for Film (The Exile)
Few things are more amusing than when that bastion of capitalism, the Hollywood movie studio, puts its weight behind a staunchly anti-capitalist story like Michael Clayton. But thatâs the beauty and the beast of capitalism: it can make money from our ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Eye for Film (The Exile)
IGN Movies (Todd Gilchrist)
Michael Clayton's only real shortcoming is its name -- seldom has a more complex and interesting story been given a simpler, less appealing title. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at IGN Movies (Todd Gilchrist)
Sky Movies (Tim Evans)
It's a cool, intelligent thriller and boasts a closing confrontation between Clooney and Swinton that is truly stand-out. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Sky Movies (Tim Evans)
ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
A brilliant debut by Gilroy, it takes its time to grab you but [then] keeps you riveted to the screen. No one should be surprised if it brings [Clooney] back to the Oscars. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
Daily Mail [UK] (Tom Cox)
A good fix from a good fixer. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Daily Mail [UK] (Tom Cox)
Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)
Insinuating and extremely clever, this insightful, low-key thriller takes a provocative look into the life of a man whose world begins to unravel around him. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)
Eye for Film (The Exile)
Few things are more amusing than when that bastion of capitalism, the Hollywood movie studio, puts its weight behind a staunchly anti-capitalist story like Michael Clayton. But thatâs the beauty and the beast of capitalism: it can make money from our ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Eye for Film (The Exile)
Future Movies (Coco Forsythe)
Between his political campaigning, writing and directing, its somewhat surprising that George Clooney finds time to act. But act he does, here taking a turn as the lead in a film that, while it might not win him any new fans, should win him awards, and ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Future Movies (Coco Forsythe)
Eye for Film ("Chris")
During one scene, high-powered corporate lawyer Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) practices answers for a coming interview. How do you achieve a work-life balance? The question, of course, could apply to us all.
Ideals versus the reality of paying a ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Eye for Film ("Chris")
DVD Talk (Phil Bacharach)
Independent (Anthony Quinn)
Expertly paced, tautly written and superbly cast, it may turn out to be the most auspicious debut of the year. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Independent (Anthony Quinn)
Sun Online (--)
Not a bundle of laughs but a brilliant and compelling drama. This is Clooney at his very best. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Sun Online (--)
Film Snobs (Stephen Himes)
The story of some nice lawyers who give dozens of pro bono hours working to adopt puppies for orphans before Christmas. George Clooney plays the headmaster. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Film Snobs (Stephen Himes)
HollywoodChicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
Michael Clayton is the adult antidote to a torrent of monotonous gobbledygook devoid of poignant messaging. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at HollywoodChicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
DVD Talk (Jamie S. Rich)
thelondonpaper (Neil Smith)
The real triumph is Clooney's, his award-worthy work confirming his status as this generation's most watchable leading man. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at thelondonpaper (Neil Smith)
Spirituality and Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
A poignant and powerful thriller about corporate malfeasance that reveals what it is like to face life-shattering moments. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Spirituality and Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
CinemaZone.dk
Michael Clayton â i form af George Clooney â er firmaets praktiske mand. I selskab med højt betalte topadvokater arbejder han i de øverste cirkler af den amerikanske forretningsverden, men Clayton er den usynlige medarbejder, som tager sig af uvente ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at CinemaZone.dk
The Popkorn Junkie
Iâm not much of a Clooney fan. I think he is too dull and understand as an actor and always too self assured to seem realistic â his acting in this film was no exception. However the story was interesting and the film was well made. Clayton is basical ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Popkorn Junkie
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Michael Clayton" is almost a good movie. All it needs is Julia Roberts, Albert Finney and a true story to be based on.
In other words, it's not quite "Erin Brockovich," though that is very much what it would like to be. It even takes its title from ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Richmond Times-Dispatch
ReelTalk (Diana Saenger)
I know many of us roll our eyes today when another political scandal or celebrity meltdown hits the airwaves. Though we profess to be fed up with these disgraces, TV and internet ratings of their coverage suggest otherwise. Ultimately, we discover that ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ReelTalk (Diana Saenger)
Arctic Shores Contemporary Reviews (Bob Miller)
The plot elements of Michael Clayton contain too much intrigue, suspense and the latest electronic spy ware to be much different than a thousand other movies that are being shown. And it contains the sort of crowd pleading âI gotchaâ ending that anno ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Arctic Shores Contemporary Reviews (Bob Miller)
Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Michael Clayton (Clooney) is a "fixer" for slick law house Kenner, Bach & Ledeen, a loyal company cleaner who works behind the scenes greasing the wheels for attorneys and clients alike. He spin-doctors his way through the legal muck: hit-and-runs, ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)
New York Observer (Andrew Sarris)
Tony Gilroyâs Michael Clayton is the best kind of star vehicle, one that expands a starâs range and enriches his career, rather than one that merely exploits his screen charisma for a formulaic project. George Clooney plays Michael Clayton, a onetime ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Observer (Andrew Sarris)
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
When it comes to motion pictures, there are essentially two kinds of thrillers: visceral thrillers, which rely on action to generate tension and excitement, and intellectual thrillers, which burn more slowly but are often more satisfying in the end. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
KYW Newsradio (Bill Wine)
He mops up, but he's not a janitor. He sells concepts, but he's not a salesman. He cleans up messes, but he's not a sanitation worker. He's Michael Clayton. He's a "fixer." And he's in a fix.
Michael Clayton is a legal thriller, but not a ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at KYW Newsradio (Bill Wine)
Scene-Stealers.com (Eric Melin)
Gilroy has crafted a smart thriller that revolves around a corporate cover-up but doesn't burrow into hair-splitting details and stays away from cliché." ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Scene-Stealers.com (Eric Melin)
Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
I wish I could say that I know George Clooney. I canât. I donât. But I did meet him once, briefly, at a press event for Good Night, and Good Luck. and listened to him speak for an hour or whatever it was about that film, and movies in general, and his ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
Christianity Today (Brandon Fibbs)
A deliberate and measured look at what happens when you wake up one day and realize you can no longer recognize the man staring back at you from the bathroom mirror. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Christianity Today (Brandon Fibbs)
Entertainment Spectrum (Vince Koehler)
Audiences, beware you will be drawn in by Clayton and will be wondering days later why films are not all this good? ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Entertainment Spectrum (Vince Koehler)
Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)
One of the struggles of professional life is keeping our sanity in the face of incredible pressures. This is true not only of our mental and emotional sanity, but in keeping morally sane as well. Though this is true of all the professions, it seems to ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)
World Socialist Web Site
In one critical exchange in Tony Gilroyâs Michael Clayton, legendary attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), in the midst of a great personal crisis, announces to fellow lawyer and eponymous âfixerâ Clayton (George Clooney), âI am Shiva, the god of ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at World Socialist Web Site
Blackfilm.com
Not since Sydney Lumetâs early films and John Grishamâs novels about lawyers started hitting the big screen have we had a legal thriller that was clever, intense, well executed and well acted. Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote the fascinating, but fast-cut ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Blackfilm.com
Seacoast Newspapers (NH/Maine) (Gina Carbone)
George Clooney does the best acting of his career during the end credits, just sitting quietly in the back of a cab, thinking about what transpired in the movie we just saw. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Seacoast Newspapers (NH/Maine) (Gina Carbone)
Box Office Prophets
Who is Michael Clayton? That's what the titular character wants to know. At 45, Michael is broke, divorced and inextricably linked to a job he doesn't feel good doing. He feels underappreciated and morally torn. It doesn't help that some people also want ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Box Office Prophets
Mr. Brown's Movies (Michael Dequina)
The perfectly cast Clooney gives the term 'star vehicle' a good name. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Mr. Brown's Movies (Michael Dequina)
Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
If there ever was a movie that fit the description âtoo perfect,â then Michael Clayton is it. This is a slick motion picture that is just oozing in talent; not a frame is out of place, not a line of dialogue is spoken out of turn. Writer/director Tony ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
Washington Post (Ann Hornaday)
George Clooney glides blearily through a long Manhattan night in "Michael Clayton," a nervy legal thriller in which he suppresses his congenital charisma in a fascinating anti-star turn. A throwback in the best sense of the word, "Michael Clayton," which ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Washington Post (Ann Hornaday)
Pop Entertainment.com
It takes some real confidence for a filmmaker to name a movie Michael Clayton.
After all, that title tells a prospective audience absolutely nothing about what they are getting themselves into. Is it a drama? A comedy? A horror film? Sci-Fi? A ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Pop Entertainment.com
The Age
It's a generalisation, sure, but it's a fair bet that most of us would dearly welcome a movie in which a couple of professional killers detonate a bomb and, instead of relying on the reassuring sight of a fireball going off in the middle distance, ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Age
Film School Rejects (Nate Deen)
Gripping and absorbing from beginning to end, Michael Clayton is a well-crafted legal thriller. The movie isnât perfect but it is solid all around and with the way itâs being acclaimed, it is a title to keep an eye on during awards season. This marks ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Film School Rejects (Nate Deen)
Featuring some of the strongest performances this year, MICHAEL CLAYTON is a legal thriller with shades of THE FIRM and of ERIN BROCKOVICH. A rarely better George Clooney, in a performance likely to be remembered at Oscar time, gets the juicy role of ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at
stylusmagazine.com (David Holmes)
michael Clayton has simply no right to be as good as it is. Working firmly within the âhot-shot-lawyer-battles-evil-establishmentâ genre, youâd think thereâd be no new territory to explore that hasnât already been beaten to a pulp, sucked dry, a ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at stylusmagazine.com (David Holmes)
Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) (Greg Maki)
The movie requires patience from the audience. In return, it doesn't cop out with a cheap twist or turn at the end. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) (Greg Maki)
Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
While I'm not nearly as concerned with actors using movies to spread propaganda (either liberal or conservative) as Eric is, I don't exactly look forward to movies that do so. This is why I avoided Michael Clayton for so long. This being a George Clooney ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
The film is stealthy, like its characters; it creeps up on you. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
For rabble-rousing directors, institutional thrillers are treacherous to navigate without sinking into whirlpools of minutia or crashing on the rocks of self-righteousness. But without a manifesto, "Michael Clayton" becomes a steadfast vehicle for its ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
Solid, complex character study from the team that's single-handedly championing the genre. This one finds the ever-improving George Clooney as a legal "fixer". ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
MovieFreak.com (Sara M. Fetters)
The film is terrific, and for fans hungry for an intelligently constructed pot boiler reminiscent of The Parallax View and All the President's Men this one should ease their starvation perfectly. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at MovieFreak.com (Sara M. Fetters)
Reel.com (Pam Grady)
Michael Clayton is a riveting, suspenseful, rip-roaring entertainment. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Reel.com (Pam Grady)
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
The ultimate showcase for the defining male lead of our time. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
There are more than ample rewards for discerning adults: Some of the best dialogue in a recent movie and a gallery of unforgettable performances. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
This is Gilroy's first film as director; I can't wait to see what he's got next. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
New York Daily News (Jack Mathews)
Every performance in this film is spot-on. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Daily News (Jack Mathews)
Long Island Press (Prairie Miller)
Aside from a far too brief and rapid finale that seems to tie up all the loose ends on fast forward, Michael Clayton makes its case as a solid, if at times sluggish legal thriller. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Long Island Press (Prairie Miller)
Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Its one of the most satisfying films of the year, recalling a classy breed of studio film more common in the 1970s and the early 80s. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
The movie's plot may be familiar, but its hero is a unique and memorable creation. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Clooney, for his part, allows his movie star looks to go flabby and soft (all things being relative, of course), and he buries the performance way down in his gut. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Globe and Mail (--)
After writing the first two Bourne movies and co-writing the third, Tony Gilroy seems to have earned himself a free hand when it came to his directing debut, Michael Clayton. He has used it to create ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Globe and Mail (--)
Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Deliberate, demanding and character-driven, Michael Clayton flies in the face of what sells at the multiplex. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
european-films.net (Boyd van Hoeij)
Legal miracle workers or "fixers" hide simple truths behind a calculated barrage of extraneous smoke and mirrors, which is exactly the tactic screenwriter-turned-director Tony Gilroy employs for his directorial debut Michael Clayton . ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at european-films.net (Boyd van Hoeij)
Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
While in the theatre seat -- I had a great time -- didn't want the film to end. But, when it did end, the aftertaste wasn't as sweet. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
It's such a skilled job of directing and writing that the pages and pages of technical talk and lists of names and numbers all sound like actual dialogue. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
George Clooney does something unusual in Michael Clayton . He looks uncomfortable. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Its one of the most satisfying films of the year, recalling a classy breed of studio film more common in the 1970s and the early 80s. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)
Without [Clooney], and without some fine playing from Wilkinson and from Sydney Pollack as the firm's lead partner, Michael Clayton would be glossy claptrap. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)
Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
The filmmaker, best known as the scribe of the Bourne trilogy, wears both director and writer hats here, and the results are electrifying. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
There's a good deal less to the movie than meets the eye--and the ear. But there's still just enough to make for a close verdict in its favor. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Los Angeles Daily News (Glenn Whipp)
...contains several great scenes that will stick in your mind long after the credits roll. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Los Angeles Daily News (Glenn Whipp)
Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
There are no real surprises in Michael Clayton , just the awareness of a job well done. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Its one of the most satisfying films of the year, recalling a classy breed of studio film more common in the 1970s and the early 80s. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Atlantic City Weekly (Lori Hoffman)
Michael Clayton is an intelligent thriller that takes time to explore little crevices of character along the way ... ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Atlantic City Weekly (Lori Hoffman)
Movie Parables (Michael Elliott)
The script and direction both demand more than is typically expected from modern audiences. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Movie Parables (Michael Elliott)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Clooney's lined, unshaven world-weary face, graying hair, dark circles under his eyes and wary gravitas all deepen the cautionary tone of a film that would be considerably less engaging without him. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Toronto Star (Geoff Pevere)
While the plot is complex in the telling, it unfolds onscreen with propulsive fascination. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Toronto Star (Geoff Pevere)
Deseret News, Salt Lake City (Jeff Vice)
Despite all the film's plentiful talk, it never feels overplotted or convoluted ... or really all that talky. In fact, it's a rather taut, well-plotted and directed feature. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City (Jeff Vice)
FilmStew.com (Brent Simon)
Haidee Malkin/WireImage.com Photo
Gilroy at the recent Toronto International Film Festival
Films are repeatedly referenced as a visual medium, and certainly the release schedule of any given summer slate would bear that notion out. George Clooneyâs ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at FilmStew.com (Brent Simon)
Featuring some of the strongest performances this year, MICHAEL CLAYTON is a
legal thriller with shades of THE FIRM and of ERIN BROCKOVICH. A rarely
better George Clooney, in a performance likely to be remembered at Oscar
time, gets the juicy role of ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at
The Denver Post
After a night of back-room gambling and a trek to a New York City suburb to clean up a client's mess, Michael Clayton-the in-house "fixer" at the law firm Kenner, Bach & Ledeen-pulls his car to the side of a road, climbs a misted hill and stands in front ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Denver Post
Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
A resonant throwback with deep roots to the political thrillers of the 1970s; slick, smart and saturated in dramatic paranoia. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
cinemattraction (Sheila Cornelius)
The well-worn subject of corporate irresponsibility uncovered by one manâs brave defection is somewhat muddied by a pretentious subplot in Tony Gilroyâs otherwise impressive directing debut. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at cinemattraction (Sheila Cornelius)
Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)
It's about issues of personal responsibility and moral duty. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)
Chicago Reader (J. R. Jones)
George Clooney is the title character, a consummate fixer for a high-powered Manhattan law firm who's so sick of doing the company's dirty work he seems ready to bite off his own tongue. When one of the rainmaking attorneys (Tom Wilkinson) goes nuts, ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Chicago Reader (J. R. Jones)
JoBlo's Movie Emporium ("JoBlo")
ReelzChannel (John Halecky)
George Clooney plays the title character in this legal thriller from writer/director Tony Gilroy. Clooney is a âfixerâ lawyer at a huge law firm in New York City. Heâs the one you call when you have a situation you need cleaned up discreetly. When o ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ReelzChannel (John Halecky)
Antagony & Ecstasy (Tim Brayton)
When Clooney is onscreen, he is magnetic, pure and simple. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Antagony & Ecstasy (Tim Brayton)
Time Out London (Ben Walters)
Michael Clayton is an in-house âfixerâ at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York, doing dirty work at the behest of his boss. Though exhausted and unhappy, his divorce, a failed business venture and mounting debt have left Clayton tied to ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Time Out London (Ben Walters)
Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
Like the seminal 1949 adult-suspense classic The Third Man, Michael Clayton is that scintillating and rare pop-culture creation, a thriller about character. Each facet of the complex narrative connects to the shifting strengths and values of Michael ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
rec.arts.movies.reviews (Louis Proyect)
While not quite deserving of the extravagant praise doled out by critics, âMichael Claytonâ is one of the better films I have seen this year. Obviously influenced by thrillers such as âThe Pelican Briefâ or âThe Constant Gardenerâ that dramati ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at rec.arts.movies.reviews (Louis Proyect)
Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Confident but overwrought... ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
filmdeculte.com (Liam Engle)
La multinationale agrochimique U/North est sur le point de conclure un accord à lâamiable sur une affaire de négligence industrielle potentiellement dévastatrice. Mais au dernier moment, l'un des associés du cabinet dâavocats recruté par U/North ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at filmdeculte.com (Liam Engle)
Bullz-Eye.com (--)
T
The press is going gaga over âMichael Clayton,â but to be honest, their excitement could stand to be tempered just a touch. The movie is indeed a well made thriller with smart dialogue and a dynamite performance from George Clooney in the title r ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Bullz-Eye.com (--)
TIME Magazine (Richard Schickel)
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) makes good money at Kenner, Bach and Ledeen, one of those vast Manhattan law factories, but he's never made partner. And is unlikely to do so. Partly that's a matter of class. He's a cop's son and the product of the ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at TIME Magazine (Richard Schickel)
Reeler (Keith Uhlich)
"Iâm not a miracle worker. Iâm a janitor,â Manhattan lawyer and in-house âfixerâ Michael Clayton (George Clooney) tells a frantic upper-crust client involved in a late night hit-and-run early in Tony Gilroyâs loathsome Michael Clayton. It is a ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Reeler (Keith Uhlich)
Off-screen
Michael Clayton è un âfaccendiereâ che lavora presso uno dei più importanti studi legali di New York. Prendendo ordini dal co-fondatore dello studio Marty Bach, Clayton, ex-pubblico ministero nato in una famiglia di poliziotti, sbriga gli affari pià ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Off-screen
In Michael Clayton George Clooney looks like a man whose pig just died. Clooney's beloved pet pot-bellied porker Max passed away in December 2006 after a long and happy life of 18 years-- right at the beginning of production shooting for the film. For ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at
Box Office Prophets
Michael Clayton is a thriller without surprises. It doesn't serve up wild twists, intense action or blinding sequences. There are no explosions, save for a car bomb. (Which, I'll get to this, the audience gets the pleasure in seeing twice). I'm hard ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Box Office Prophets
BBC Films
As a 'fixer' for a corporate law firm, it's Michael Clayton's (George Clooney) job to stretch the truth until it fits his company's requirements, so when their top litigator Arthur (Tom Wilkinson) goes off the wall, Clayton's called in to clean up. But ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at BBC Films
Video Reviews with Joan Ellis
Writer/Director Tom Gilroy knows just how to keep us on edge in âMichael Clayton.â He creates suspense quickly, sustains it, and peppers the movie with a series of shocks. One thing is clear though: weâre rooting for George Clooney. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Video Reviews with Joan Ellis
The New Yorker (David Denby)
Itâs forever being drummed into us that movies are a visual medium. Screenwriters are chastised with this half-truth all the time; they may be told to keep dialogue terse or suggestive or to drop lines altogether. After the movie is shot, directors may ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The New Yorker (David Denby)
New York Magazine (David Edelstein)
Given the present occupants of the White House, itâs no surprise that conspiracy and whistle-blower pictures are making such a brisk comeback; Nixonâs nutty pathologiesâwhich fueled the last wave of conspiracy filmsâseem in comparison almost endea ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Magazine (David Edelstein)
Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)
Michael Clayton works as a lawyer at one of New York's biggest law firms. He's 45 but is never going to be a partner. Instead he's everybody's fixer. He can get a client's charges reduced or dropped, he can deal with hit-and-run clients; partners call ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)
Entertainment Insiders (Janos Gereben)
I should have liked "Michael Clayton" more than I did, and I sincerely hope you will. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Entertainment Insiders (Janos Gereben)
The Movie Boy (Dustin Putman)
For his directorial debut, veteran screenwriter Tony Gilroy (2007's "The Bourne Ultimatum") has compiled a heavy-hitting crackerjack ensemble headed by George Clooney (2005's "Syriana"), Tom Wilkinson (2006's "The Last Kiss"), Tilda Swinton (2007's ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Movie Boy (Dustin Putman)
Urban Cinefile (Urban Cinefile Critics)
Whatever good storytelling skills Tony Gilroy has (as demonstrated by the Bourne trilogy scripts) he has allowed to get a bit jumbled in this fairly standard corruption thriller. The central story arc is carried by the ever-credible George Clooney as ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Urban Cinefile (Urban Cinefile Critics)
New York Observer (Rex Reed)
Michael Clayton literally knocks its brains out trying to be clever, but it ends up being the same kind of smart-alecky filmmaking most of Mr. Clooneys movies are famous for. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Observer (Rex Reed)
George Clooney is the star of some Hollywood blockbuster films.
He is also the maker of smaller, higher-quality films like GOOD
NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, SYRIANA, and THE GOOD GERMAN. The
blockbusters are good for seeing once or twice and I am sure ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at
George Clooney is the star of some Hollywood blockbuster films. He is also the maker of smaller, higher-quality films like GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, SYRIANA, and THE GOOD GERMAN. The blockbusters are good for seeing once or twice and I am sure pay the ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at
Daily Mirror [UK] (--)
Theres a great George Clooney film in here somewhere, but you have to look mighty hard to find it. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Daily Mirror [UK] (--)
New York Press (Armond White)
Hipster filmmakers keep looking backwards to the 1970s, hoping to disguise how ill-equipped they are to deal with contemporary social issues. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Press (Armond White)
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