Critic Reviews
Michael Clayton (2007) Rank 5 Reviews
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based on (262) reviews
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RopeofSilicon (Brad Brevet)
Other than Ocean's Thirteen, George Clooney movies as of late have not been your typical fare. Good Night, and Good Luck. was his directorial follow-up to Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and it sparked the beginning of a "new" Clooney, a Clooney that ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at RopeofSilicon (Brad Brevet)
Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
In Michael Clayton, the searing directorial debut of screenwriter Tony Gilroy, Clooney looks tired. Erased from his visage are the confident swagger of Danny Ocean and the comical pompousness of Everett McGill, replaced by dark circles under his eyes and ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
NewsBlaze (Kam Williams)
Erin Brockovich (2000) meets A Civil Action (1998), but featuring a flawed hero with blood on his hands and an ace up his sleeve. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at NewsBlaze (Kam Williams)
Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
[Gilroy] ratchets the tension so imperceptibly... that you don't notice how taut the action is. That is, until you notice your fingernails are embedded in the armrest. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
Bangor Daily News (Maine) (Christopher Smith)
Clooney delivers a performance that demands what only a few in the industry can deliver--a critical, grounded turn that allows the film to savor its well-earned commercial overtones. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Bangor Daily News (Maine) (Christopher Smith)
New York Magazine (David Edelstein)
Clooney is as good as he has ever been. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Magazine (David Edelstein)
E! Online (Alex Markerson)
Michael Clayton is an assured, intelligent thriller, the kind that never depends on clunky exposition and differentiates its heroes and villains only by the choices they make during the film. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at E! Online (Alex Markerson)
Foote on Film (John H. Foote)
There is a sense of seventies cinema that permeates throughout the fine film Michael Clayton, as though the picture had been directed by that master of the legal thriller Alan J. Pakula who gave us All the President’s Men (1976) and Presumed Innocent ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Foote on Film (John H. Foote)
FirstShowing.net (Ken Evans)
Every few years a film gets released that really makes me think about who I am and how I live this life. It didn't occur to me how much I love these films until I realized that every time someone asks me for recommendations for a film to watch, these are ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at FirstShowing.net (Ken Evans)
Entertainment Weekly (Owen Gleiberman)
When critics complain about the dumbing down of movies into franchise popcorn, what we're really doing is yearning for a terrifically engrossing, tethered-to-the-real-world drama like Michael Clayton. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Entertainment Weekly (Owen Gleiberman)
State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) (Nick Rogers)
George Clooney wastes nothing in his best performance, and the film is as breathtakingly efficient. Specifics and surprises unfold with methodical care, and attentive adult audiences can savor one of the smartest, classiest legal thrillers ever made. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) (Nick Rogers)
USA Today (Claudia Puig)
This is unequivocally a thriller for adults ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at USA Today (Claudia Puig)
hoopla.nu
Michael Clayton (Clooney) is his firm's 'fixer' - a lawyer, yes, but not a partner even after many years of service. His bosses have other uses for him... managing potentially ugly situations for top-notch clients so that they can continue on their ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at hoopla.nu
Village Voice (Robert Wilonsky)
It will no doubt be said time and again of Michael Clayton : best John Grisham adaptation ever . ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Village Voice (Robert Wilonsky)
Aisle Seat (Mike McGranaghan)
I've seen a lot of legal dramas over the years; this is one of the best (if not the best) of them. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Aisle Seat (Mike McGranaghan)
efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
Yes, Virginia, there really was a time when American cinema contained complex storylines, social commentary and characters that were allowed to be flawed and ambiguous instead of being purely good or purely evil. During this period–historians have ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
WFAA-TV (Gary Cogill)
Hold on to your gavel—Michael Clayton is a highly-entertaining, tightly-wound thriller about lawyers, in this case, a no-nonsense high-dollar "fix it" man named Clayton, wonderfully played by George Clooney, who makes a living cleaning up other people's ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at WFAA-TV (Gary Cogill)
UGO (Brian Tallerico)
A dense trip into the gray areas of the legal world that film fans will go back to again and again like the classics that inspired it. Don't miss it. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at UGO (Brian Tallerico)
Ebert & Roeper (Richard Roeper)
One of my favorite movies of the year. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Ebert & Roeper (Richard Roeper)
WaffleMovies.com (Willie Waffle)
made my jaw drop as I realized I was in for something special ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at WaffleMovies.com (Willie Waffle)
The Sydney Morning Herald
A beautiful scene early in Michael Clayton is hard to understand. That's a good thing: it tells us to sharpen up, watch more closely. Not everything is going to be on the surface. From this moment, we know it's a movie for adults.
George Clooney, as ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Sydney Morning Herald
Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
It barrels through its formulaic story and clichéd elements with its outstanding cast leading the way." ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
A taut, exciting and thoughtful legal thriller that is so smartly conceived and executed that to merely call it a "legal thriller" almost sounds demeaning. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
Minneapolis Star Tribune (--)
There's a lot of suspense churning in "Michael Clayton," even when we don't know what's going on. Tony Gilroy, screenwriter of the "Bourne" adventures, makes his writing/directing debut with a throwback to trim, intelligent moral thrillers like "The ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Minneapolis Star Tribune (--)
Killer Movie Reviews (Andrea Chase)
Hollywood.com (Kit Bowen)
Think The Insider meets Erin Brockovich. George Clooney plays the title character, a lawyer who, instead of practicing law, has become an in-house “fixer” at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. Any little nasty detail they want swept ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Hollywood.com (Kit Bowen)
Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
With Clooney in the driver's seat, the film tumbles forward in a snapping elastic band of tension and shuddering revelations. The movie starts off grippingly and only grows more intense and thrilling. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
The Providence Journal (Michael Janusonis)
Let us return momentarily to the heyday of ’70s film, a hothouse of conspiracy and nefarious plots. The nasty shadow of Vietnam and Watergate flickered on the screen, where someone was always listening in (The Conversation) or killing off (The Parallax ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Providence Journal (Michael Janusonis)
eFilmCritic.com (Brian Orndorf)
Hate the rest of the film, but I can't imagine anyone stepping outside of the theater and thinking Clooney's monumental work lacks absolute fire. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Brian Orndorf)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
George Clooney brings a slick, ruthless force to the title role of "Michael Clayton," playing a fixer for a powerful law firm. He works in the shadows, cleaning up messes, and he is a realist. He tells clients what they don't want to hear. He shoots down ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Filmjerk.com (Brian Orndorf)
It’s another stab by George Clooney to bring back a little old fashioned character ambiguity to the big screen, and it’s his most successful effort yet. Michael Clayton (Clooney) is a “janitor,” a person brought in by his law firm to clean up mess ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Filmjerk.com (Brian Orndorf)
Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)
Unlikely and eerily realistic at the same time. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)
FromTheBalcony (Bill Clark)
The story is elaborate and demands the utmost of patience, and the final confrontation is one that won't soon be forgotten -- particularly if you're George Clooney at the height of awards season. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at FromTheBalcony (Bill Clark)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
It is just about perfect as an exercise in the genre. I've seen it twice, and the second time, knowing everything that would happen, I found it just as fascinating because of how well it was all shown happening. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
...a top-notch film that entertains, thrills, and - if you'll let it - makes you think. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
Stop printing the ballots. Don't waste money on those "for your consideration" Oscar ads. There is but one contender for best supporting actor this year, and it is Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton . ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
About.com (Rebecca Murray)
Michael Clayton may be his first film as a director, but here's hoping it's not (Tony) Gilroy's last. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at About.com (Rebecca Murray)
Preview Family Movie Review
With its insightful, nonlinear script coupled with trenchant dialogue, engaging directing and masterful performing, Michael Clayton is a masterpiece. That is said from an appreciation of the film’s artistic and technical merits. Alas, my appreciation is ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Preview Family Movie Review
Onion AV Club (Nathan Rabin)
In an accomplished directorial debut, Gilroy gives the film a shadowy, autumnal hue and combines image and sound in sometimes surprising and ingenious ways. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Onion AV Club (Nathan Rabin)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (William Arnold)
Though the film ultimately bows to the smiley-face demands of the New Millennium box office, it manages to be a spellbinding action-drama, skillfully built upon a scary corporate conspiracy, chock-full of enjoyable downbeat performances. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer (William Arnold)
RogerEbert.com (Jim Emerson)
...the kind of smart, crisp, 'serious' mainstream entertainment that gives Hollywood (or the part of it influenced by George Clooney) a good name. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at RogerEbert.com (Jim Emerson)
Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
Actually, this type of story is nothing new, but the angle here is very interesting. Clooney plays a legal "Fixer," a sort of consultant to a high-powered law firm, who is first on the scene to assess and call in the right players. But the film spends ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
Financial Times (Martin Hoyle)
A potentially corny plot is stylishly executed, abetted by a perfect cast. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Financial Times (Martin Hoyle)
Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies (Nell Minow)
George Clooney just keeps getting better and better. His performance here is rich and deep and layered, and seeing him work through his range of reactions is enormously moving. It provides a strong center for the legal thriller swirling around him. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies (Nell Minow)
Modern Fabulousity (Gabriel Shanks)
In some scenes, Clayton is the kick in the pants the whodunit genre desperately needs ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Modern Fabulousity (Gabriel Shanks)
ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
"Michael Clayton" is an up-to-the-minute allegory about the devastating power and malicious intent of a corporation that conceals its unethical actions with television commercials featuring close-ups of verdant nature. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
EricDSnider.com (Eric D. Snider)
Self-effacing, quick with a joke, and refreshingly unpretentious, George Clooney is Hollywood's happy-go-lucky poster boy these days. He tosses off lighthearted fare like "Ocean's Thirteen" just because he enjoys doing it, and then he does something like ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at EricDSnider.com (Eric D. Snider)
Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus (Bryant Frazer)
Think of this intense drama about corporate shenanigans as the capper to a George Clooney trilogy about duty, ethics and professionalism. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus (Bryant Frazer)
Beaumont Journal (Danny Minton)
Clooney makes a poor replacement for Julia Roberts. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Beaumont Journal (Danny Minton)
Lobo Howls (Judith Wolfe)
I will not be evasive about this one. I loved this film. It is intelligent, stylish, tense, dark, well written, has great acting and it's icy blue canvas chills you to the bone. This is the debut directorial piece of Tony Gilroy who also wrote the ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Lobo Howls (Judith Wolfe)
ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Jeffrey Chen)
[Gilroy] shows that it's interesting to see how much suspense can be generated when one decides to do the right thing, simply because the forces at large will do everything they can to prevent it. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Jeffrey Chen)
Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
It's good to see new directors land on the scene with some display of confidence. Such is the case with Tony Gilroy and his Michael Clayton. The film is somewhat of a throwback to the old paranoid corporate thrillers, but right away Gilroy makes it his ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Monsters and Critics (Ron Wilkinson)
Failing fixer Clooney is great but has to fight for center stage next to supporting actress Tilda Swinton as the ethically maimed corporate attorney. Add Tom Wilkinson, Sydney Pollock and a dynamite screenplay and we have the thriller of year. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Monsters and Critics (Ron Wilkinson)
Empire Movies (Erin Cullin)
In 1760 B.C., King Hammurabi set the Hammurabi Code to stone and posted it in a town marketplace in ancient Babylon. I have no doubt that, the following day, the first ancient lawyer came strolling into the marketplace, trying to find ways to test the ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Empire Movies (Erin Cullin)
Reeling Reviews (Robin Clifford)
...an intelligent thriller that does not have an axe to grind. Sure, there is the evil corporate entity and its pitiless lawyers but they are relative fodder to feed Michael's story of redemption. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Reeling Reviews (Robin Clifford)
About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray)
Tony Gilroy, the screenwriter responsible for the Bourne movies, makes his feature film directorial debut with the intense and riveting drama, Michael Clayton. Gilroy does a fantastic job of creatively exposing the shady underbelly of the corporate world ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray)
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Out-Grishams Grisham at his own game, thanks to an engaging plot, fine acting and a pleasing twist at the end. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
San Francisco Chronicle
George Clooney constitutes at least half of what makes "Michael Clayton" worth seeing. The film, a moody suspense drama, has a slow build and a strong payoff, but Clooney is the element that holds it together, that provides the mystery and the interest. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at San Francisco Chronicle
ShowBIZ Data
Michael Clayton has garnered the strongest reviews of the season in the cities where it opened. Roger Ebert gave it a four-star review in the Chicago Sun-Times, writing "It is just about perfect as an exercise in the [legal/business thriller] genre. I've ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ShowBIZ Data
Plugged In
Michael Clayton
Erin Brockovich meets The Firm in the taut, character-driven legal drama Michael Clayton. In the title role, George Clooney is a "fixer" for a powerful New York City law firm. He cleans up legal messes. The latest fiasco ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Plugged In
The Cinema Source (Michael M. Dance)
I love that my job is to write about movies, but since movies can be about anything, that gets me into trouble sometimes. Take Michael Clayton. Here's a movie that takes place in the world of giant law firms and bigger corporations, a world I know ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The Cinema Source (Michael M. Dance)
Toronto Star (Geoff Pevere)
The unravelling of George Clooney in Michael Clayton is a mesmerizing thing to behold.
Playing an indebted, divorced and morally stricken "janitor" for a top Manhattan corporate law firm – who is introduced to us as he's summoned to attend to a ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Toronto Star (Geoff Pevere)
Movie-Vault.com (LaRae Meadows)
Michael Clayton is the fast paced legal, corporate greed and assassination thriller that starts and ends with a bang. Michael Clayton sizzles with skin crawling gluttony, blood moving action and overflows with tragic characters.
Michael Clayton ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Movie-Vault.com (LaRae Meadows)
Nick's Flick Picks (Nick Davis)
The multiplex needs more movies where life, work, morality, and debt comprise the constellation of adult experience, unimpinged upon by concessions to youth audiences and unameliorated by any whiff of romance. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Nick's Flick Picks (Nick Davis)
Soundtrack.net
If one word could be used to describe James Newton Howard's score for Michael Clayton, "ethereal" comes to mind. It is a very free and open score. A good chunk of it is electronic in nature with the other half being somewhat traditional orchestration. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Soundtrack.net
The New York Times
Dark in color, mood and outraged worldview, “Michael Clayton” is a film that speaks to the way we live now. Or at least, the way certain masters of the universe do, as they prowl the jungle in their sleek rides, armed with killer ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at The New York Times
Spectrum (St. George, Utah) (Bruce Bennett)
Michael Clayton wants it both ways. It requires smarts to understand what's going on, and a lack of smarts to care and not be able to predict the outcome. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Spectrum (St. George, Utah) (Bruce Bennett)
Associated Press (Christy Lemire)
...sharp writing from Tony Gilroy and an intelligent, subtly powerful performance from George Clooney. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Associated Press (Christy Lemire)
L.A. Weekly (Ella Taylor)
This loving throwback to the paranoid thrillers of the ’70s is a beauty. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at L.A. Weekly (Ella Taylor)
Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)
Melodramatic in tone, complex in thought, this 'Clayton' is a thinking person's John Grisham. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)
EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Modeled after intelligent, character-driven conspiracy melodramas of the 1970s, Tony Gilory's feature debut is a rather compelling if also familiar and old-fashioned saga in both the positive and negative senses of these terms. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Philadelphia Weekly (Sean Burns)
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a Movie Star. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Philadelphia Weekly (Sean Burns)
Washington Post (Ann Hornaday)
This uncommonly intelligent thriller evokes the great films of the 1970s ( All the President's Men, Klute, Three Days of the Condor ) that managed to elicit gritty urban realism while maintaining a suave sense of style and moral complexity. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Washington Post (Ann Hornaday)
Film Scouts (Jason Gorber)
A story rich in ideas that doesn't blow valuable time proselytizing its message. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Film Scouts (Jason Gorber)
Film Journal International (Daniel Eagan)
Tightly plotted, expertly acted, Michael Clayton is a challenging, satisfying corporate thriller about a disillusioned lawyer forced to confront the compromises in his life. As brisk and ruthless as the attorneys it portrays, the film presents a vivid, ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Film Journal International (Daniel Eagan)
Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt)
As with the Bourne films, Gilroy has a knack for creating strong characters and situations that resonate with tension. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt)
El Criticon (Antonio Mendez Casanova)
Michael Clayton (George Clooney), miembro de un bufete de abogados de Nueva York, se involucra en el caso de una multinacional quÃmica que ha podido provocar la intoxicación de múltiples granjeros, un pleito que parece haber llevado a la locura al ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at El Criticon (Antonio Mendez Casanova)
Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)
The directorial debut of noted screenwriter Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton stars Gorge Clooney as the title character - a "fixer" for a prestigious law firm who finds himself in a whole mess of trouble after a colleague (Tom Wilkinson) puts a lucrative ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)
Dallas Morning News (Chris Vognar)
If Michael Clayton 's particular mix of law and commerce gets a little murky, that murkiness also gives the film a shadowy aura. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Dallas Morning News (Chris Vognar)
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)
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
PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
“This is not an episode,” declares Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson). What he’s feeling, he continues, is far more pernicious and pervasive than the madness with which he’s been diagnosed: “I’m suddenly consumed with the overwhelming sensation that ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
"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
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
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 don’t 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)
Orlando Weekly (John Thomason)
Its hero is an amoral “fixerâ€ťï¿½ 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)
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)
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)
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
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)
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)
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)
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)
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 that’s 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)
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)
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)
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)
DVD Talk (Jamie S. Rich)
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)
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)
Austin Chronicle (Steve Davis)
“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” That oft-quoted line from one of Shakespeare’s 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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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 that’s 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)
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.)
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)
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)
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)
DVD Talk (Adam Tyner)
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)
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 (--)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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
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)
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)
Total Film (Matt Mueller)
Continuing to seek out writer/directors with something to say, Clooney’s 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)
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)
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)
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.)
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)
filmcritic.com (Sean O'Connell)
gripping and complicated ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at filmcritic.com (Sean O'Connell)
Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
If there ever was a movie that fit the description “too perfect,” 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)
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)
Film School Rejects (Nate Deen)
Gripping and absorbing from beginning to end, Michael Clayton is a well-crafted legal thriller. The movie isn’t perfect but it is solid all around and with the way it’s 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)
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)
Blackfilm.com
Not since Sydney Lumet’s early films and John Grisham’s 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
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)
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
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)
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)
The Popkorn Junkie
I’m 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 – 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
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)
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)
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)
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
World Socialist Web Site
In one critical exchange in Tony Gilroy’s Michael Clayton, legendary attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), in the midst of a great personal crisis, announces to fellow lawyer and eponymous “fixer” Clayton (George Clooney), “I am Shiva, the god of ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at World Socialist Web Site
stylusmagazine.com (David Holmes)
michael Clayton has simply no right to be as good as it is. Working firmly within the “hot-shot-lawyer-battles-evil-establishment” genre, you’d think there’d be no new territory to explore that hasn’t already been beaten to a pulp, sucked dry, a ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at stylusmagazine.com (David Holmes)
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)
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 “I gotcha” ending that anno ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Arctic Shores Contemporary Reviews (Bob Miller)
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
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)
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)
CinemaZone.dk
Michael Clayton – i form af George Clooney – 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
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
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
New York Observer (Andrew Sarris)
Tony Gilroy’s Michael Clayton is the best kind of star vehicle, one that expands a star’s 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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
It’s 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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
cinemattraction (Sheila Cornelius)
The well-worn subject of corporate irresponsibility uncovered by one man’s brave defection is somewhat muddied by a pretentious subplot in Tony Gilroy’s otherwise impressive directing debut. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at cinemattraction (Sheila Cornelius)
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)
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)
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)
It’s 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)
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 (--)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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
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)
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)
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
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)
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)
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 Clooney’s ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at FilmStew.com (Brent Simon)
Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
It’s 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)
Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
I wish I could say that I know George Clooney. I can’t. I don’t. 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)
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)
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)
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)
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
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)
ReelzChannel (John Halecky)
George Clooney plays the title character in this legal thriller from writer/director Tony Gilroy. Clooney is a â€fixer’ lawyer at a huge law firm in New York City. He’s 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)
JoBlo's Movie Emporium ("JoBlo")
Time Out London (Ben Walters)
Michael Clayton is an in-house â€fixer’ 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)
Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Confident but overwrought... ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Bullz-Eye.com (--)
T
The press is going gaga over “Michael Clayton,” 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 (--)
Off-screen
Michael Clayton è un “faccendiere” 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
Reeler (Keith Uhlich)
"I’m not a miracle worker. I’m a janitor,” Manhattan lawyer and in-house “fixer” Michael Clayton (George Clooney) tells a frantic upper-crust client involved in a late night hit-and-run early in Tony Gilroy’s loathsome Michael Clayton. It is a ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Reeler (Keith Uhlich)
filmdeculte.com (Liam Engle)
La multinationale agrochimique U/North est sur le point de conclure un accord à l’amiable sur une affaire de négligence industrielle potentiellement dévastatrice. Mais au dernier moment, l'un des associés du cabinet d’avocats recruté par U/North ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at filmdeculte.com (Liam Engle)
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)
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
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, “Michael Clayton” is one of the better films I have seen this year. Obviously influenced by thrillers such as “The Pelican Brief” or “The Constant Gardener” that dramati ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at rec.arts.movies.reviews (Louis Proyect)
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)
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)
Daily Mirror [UK] (--)
There’s 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] (--)
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)
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
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. Clooney’s movies are famous for. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Observer (Rex Reed)
New York Magazine (David Edelstein)
Given the present occupants of the White House, it’s no surprise that conspiracy and whistle-blower pictures are making such a brisk comeback; Nixon’s nutty pathologies—which fueled the last wave of conspiracy films—seem in comparison almost endea ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at New York Magazine (David Edelstein)
The New Yorker (David Denby)
It’s 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)
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
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)
Video Reviews with Joan Ellis
Writer/Director Tom Gilroy knows just how to keep us on edge in “Michael Clayton.” He creates suspense quickly, sustains it, and peppers the movie with a series of shocks. One thing is clear though: we’re rooting for George Clooney. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Video Reviews with Joan Ellis
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
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)
Sacramento News & Review (Jim Lane)
...a good last scene can redeem a lot of tedium, and [writer-director Tony] Gilroy provides a doozy... ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Sacramento News & Review (Jim Lane)
Pop Syndicate (Stefan Halley)
This film has a superb cast and all the right ingredients to score a touchdown. Unfortunately, it settled for a field goal. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Pop Syndicate (Stefan Halley)
Empire Magazine [UK]
ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
Impressively directed, superbly acted thriller, but it moves too slowly to really engage the audience and ultimately works better as a character ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
DVD Clinic (Jason Adams)
Empire Magazine [UK]
This issue-led thriller-cum-star vehicle has a grabby opening. On
a night when everyone else in his powerful Manhattan law firm is up late settling a huge suit and paying off a crowd of small farmers who’ve been poisoned by a dodgy product, legal shark ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Empire Magazine [UK]
TheMovieChicks.com (Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone)
There's too much drag time in the beginning to say that this movie lives up to all the hype it's getting, but it is still worth going to see. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at TheMovieChicks.com (Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone)
FirstShowing.net (Jaq Greenspon)
There is no doubt George Clooney is one of the best actors of his generation. And when you team him with people like Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Sidney Pollack, Ken Howard and Michael O'Keefe, you expect some performance fireworks. Shame they were ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at FirstShowing.net (Jaq Greenspon)
KPBS.org (Beth Accomando)
The strength of the film is Tom Wilkinson's performance as a bipolar lawyer who stops taking his medication and has an epiphany of sorts. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at KPBS.org (Beth Accomando)
Movie Gazette
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is a lawyer working for a large corporate legal firm as a "fixer". He cleans up messy legal problems for the company's "heavy hitting" clients. It's a job he's getting sick of, he's middle-aged, divorced and realizes that ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Movie Gazette
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
As a so-called fixer for a prestigious New York law firm, Michael Clayton (Clooney, Ocean's Thirteen) can't seem to fix much these days, most notably, his deteriorating lifestyle. When the firm's clients get into a legal bind, he smoothes the way to ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Jam! Movies (Kevin Williamson)
Ace work from all involved... ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Jam! Movies (Kevin Williamson)
eFilmCritic.com (Rob Gonsalves)
The dialogue may crackle, but the characters are standard-issue. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Rob Gonsalves)
Las Vegas Weekly (Josh Bell)
Keeps you involved and in suspense until the last moment. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Las Vegas Weekly (Josh Bell)
eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
The great Alfred Hitchcock once summed up so profoundly why it is we’ll root for bad guys and anti-heroes in the movies. Audiences just love to see someone who does their job really well. We can respect that, even be fascinated by it, despite whatever ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
UR Chicago Magazine (Mark Dujsik)
Broad in its characterizations and message but subdued in presenting them through a complex plot. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at UR Chicago Magazine (Mark Dujsik)
PopMatters (Bill Gibron)
Michael Clayton is a lot of things - somber, menacing, heartfelt, and heroic. It tells an intriguing tale in a wonderfully evocative manner. Unfortunately, there is one thing that it's not - and that's great. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at PopMatters (Bill Gibron)
FilmJudge (David Mercier)
Michael Clayton (Clooney) is a 'fixer' for a prestigious New York law firm. It is his job to sort out problems in cases, and sometimes to make them go away entirely. He finds his services needed when Arthur Edens (Wilkinson), the attorney currently ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at FilmJudge (David Mercier)
Film e Dvd
Scritto e diretto da Tony Gilroy, al suo primo lavoro, prodotto con l'aiuto illustre di Sydney Pollack (anche attore) e Steven Soderbergh, “Michael Clayton” è un legal-thriller di ambientazione metropolitana, girato prevalentemente di notte (per ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Film e Dvd
Tolucan Times (Tony Medley)
Some might see the dark cinematography, the protagonist pursued by demons, and the slow, wordy, incoherent story-telling as tense. I looked at my watch a lot. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Tolucan Times (Tony Medley)
Boxoffice Magazine
Writer/director Tony Gilroy has penned a number of intelligent scripts for movies as diverse as Dolores Claiborne, Proof of Life and the Bourne films. Michael Clayton is no less intelligent. But Gilroy thinks more like a screenwriter than a film ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Boxoffice Magazine
Screen International
George Clooney isn't out to break the mould with Michael Clayton, a slow, moody and insomniac thriller which wears its social conscience very much on its sleeve. In Syriana and Good Night and Good Luck (and to some extent The Good German) audiences have ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Screen International
Cinematical (James Rocchi)
I walked out of Michael Clayton feeling something like 'let down,' although a brief examination of my expectations got to the root of the matter. Walking into Michael Clayton, I was hoping for a film along the lines of classic '70s Sidney Lumet or Alan J. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Cinematical (James Rocchi)
kids-in-mind
George Clooney stars as a man referred to as a "janitor" and a "fixer" since he works for a law firm cleaning up messy situations that involve powerful corporations. His most recent task is to find out why the lead attorney defending a large chemical ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at kids-in-mind
Newsday (Jan Stuart)
It's invigorating and impressive on a formal level, but ultimately wearying. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Newsday (Jan Stuart)
Cinopsis (--)
Michael est un avocat qui ne plaide pas, mais qui gère les situations d'urgence de ses gros clients. Il va devoir s'occuper d'un scandale sanitaire dans lequel est impliquée l'une des plus grosses firmes agroalimentaires qu'il représente. Pour cet avoc ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Cinopsis (--)
CHUD (Devin Faraci)
There's nothing sadder than a prestige picture that just doesn't work, because these kinds of films so rarely allow themselves to have fun. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at CHUD (Devin Faraci)
TV Guide's Movie Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
And while Gilroy deploys the occasional exploding car, the film's climax is all words -- angry, carefully sharpened words -- with the stopping power of large-caliber bullets. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
KyleSmithOnline.com (Kyle Smith)
So: the crazy people are the truly sane ones. Does this sound more like a complex 70s thriller or a dizzy 60s dream? ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at KyleSmithOnline.com (Kyle Smith)
Slant Magazine (Nick Schager)
There's sincerity in Gilroy's belief in man's aptitude for recognizing the error of his ways, as well as in his acknowledgement that realignments of one's moral compass often require great application. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Slant Magazine (Nick Schager)
TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman)
Once the narrative edges toward meeting up with where it began, Michael Clayton becomes riveting stuff all the way until the gratifyingly acidic ending. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman)
eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
Despite an exceptional performance by Clooney, Michael Clayton is like watching a drawn-out third act that left the really compelling stuff back in the first two. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
Chart Magazine (--)
As a prestige picture, Michael Clayton hits all the right notes for George Clooney. You can pick out the parts that would be shown in an Oscar montage, and the actor aces each scene with ease. The problem is, the movie's narrative does nothing to draw ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Chart Magazine (--)
Box Office Mojo (Scott Holleran)
n his directorial debut, The Bourne Identity writer Tony Gilroy lifts Michael Clayton slightly higher than other recent big-budget thrillers—Breach, The Good Shepherd, Mr. Brooks—for a mildly interesting character drama. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Box Office Mojo (Scott Holleran)
Cinema Blend
There is no point to Michael Clayton,it’s a corporate mystery movie with nothing to latch on to. ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Cinema Blend
Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)
Michael Clayton: (James Newton Howard) As a convoluted corporate and legal thriller, Michael Clayton takes a long time to ignite the flame, leaving audiences waiting until the end for its flashbacks to reveal the totality of the story. Its examination of ...read the complete Michael Clayton movie review at Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)
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