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.
Comment
10/12/07
Michael Clayton (2007)
90
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:189
Fresh:170
Rotten:19
Average Rating:7.6/10
Consensus: Michael Clayton is one of the most sharply scripted films of 2007, with an engrossing premise and faultless acting. Director Tony Gilroy succeeds not only in capturing the audience's attention, but holding it until the credits roll.
Runtime: 2 hrs
Genre: Law/Lawyers, Thriller, Mental Illness, Divorce, Theatrical Release
US Box Office: $48,976,323
Synopsis: Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is what is known in the legal world as a "fixer," or in the character's own pejorative version, a "janitor" who cleans up legal messes for VIPs and corporations on... [More]
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack
Director: Tony Gilroy
Reviews for Michael Clayton
61 - 80 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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.
10/12/07
[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.
10/12/07
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.
10/12/07
Clooney makes a poor replacement for Julia Roberts.
10/12/07
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.
10/12/07
...a top-notch film that entertains, thrills, and - if you'll let it - makes you think.
10/12/07
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.
10/11/07
Broad in its characterizations and message but subdued in presenting them through a complex plot.
10/11/07
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.
10/11/07
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.
10/11/07
Some of the strongest performances this year ... [including] a rarely better George Clooney in a performance likely to be remembered at Oscar time.
10/11/07
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.
10/11/07
This doesn't begin to deserve the Oscar nominations it’s likely to get, but I had a good time with it nonetheless.
10/11/07
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.
10/11/07
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.
10/11/07
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.
10/11/07
Keeps you involved and in suspense until the last moment.
10/11/07
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.
10/11/07
Michael Clayton may be his first film as a director, but here's hoping it's not (Tony) Gilroy's last.
10/11/07
Latest News for Michael Clayton
May 11, 2009:
RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
One of the most diverse and celebrated talents of her generation, the directors on Tilda Swinton's CV represent a veritable who's who of independent cinema and include David... More...
May 27, 2008:
Sydney Pollack: A Retrospective
With two Oscar wins and plenty more nominations under his belt, Sydney Pollack was a filmmaker that Hollywood admired. He was also a proven actor's director whose fruitful... More...
May 26, 2008:
Sydney Pollack dies aged 73
Academy Award-winning director, producer and actor, Sydney Pollack, dies aged 73. More...
April 11, 2008:
Script Review: Tony Gilroy's Duplicity 
Tony Gilroy's follow-up to Michael Clayton -- the Clive Owen/Julia Roberts-led Duplicity -- is filming now, and Latino Review is offering a review of the script. More...
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