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Rent Michael Clayton (2007)

Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house "fixer" at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. At the behest of the firm’s co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack), Clayton, a former prosecutor from a family of cops, takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen’s dirtiest work. Clayton cleans up clients’ messes, handling anything from hit-and-runs and damaging stories in the press to shoplifting wives and crooked politicians. Though burned out and discontented in his job, Clayton is inextricably tied to the firm.

At the agrochemical company U/North, the career of in-house chief counsel Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) rests on the settlement of the suit that Kenner, Bach & Ledeen is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. When the firm’s top litigator, the brilliant Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), has an apparent breakdown and tries to sabotage the entire case, Marty Bach sends Michael Clayton to tackle this unprecedented disaster and, in doing so, Clayton comes face to face with the reality of who he has become.

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You rated this movie: 5

Reviewed by: Rubber Ducky
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Michael Clayton review by Rubber Ducky

Superb legal thriller

(3) of (4) members found this review helpful.

A superb film which keeps you completely engaged right the way through. Clooney is excellent in the title role of a fixer for a powerful law firm in New York. He has to sort out problems, like a rich guy who is in a hit and run accident, but is not happy doing the job and wants to get back to litigating. He is called upon to sort out the 'mess' caused by one of their lawyers, Arthur, played brilliantly by Tom Wilkinson, who seems to have gone completely crazy. Arthur's apparent breakdown leads him to try and sabotage his own case representing a chemical company. However, Arthur discovers that the chemical company seems to be responsible for the deaths of many people and his conscience won't let this lie. This is all very inconvenient for the chemical company's lawyer, Karen Crowder, played brilliantly by Tilda Swinton, who will do whatever it takes to preserve the company's 'good name'. Some powerful dramatic scenes, an excellent cast and interesting plot twists and turns keep you enthralled until the end.

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You rated this movie: 5

Reviewed by: Jean Browne
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Michael Clayton review by Jean Browne

George Clooney does it again

(2) of (3) members found this review helpful.

I'm beginning to think this man can do no wrong. Certainly this isn't a particularly original story, but it is done brilliantly, with superb performances from Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson, with plenty of twists and turns. One measure of a good film is whether you care what happens to the protagonists, good and bad, and I certainly did. A highly satisfying watch.

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You rated this movie: 4	Reviewed by: BL See my reviews
Michael Clayton review by BL A fixer who gets fixed (2) of (3) members found this review helpful. Really good thriller. Clooney is excellent and puts in a performance far better than his Oceans movies. You always know that those who clean up others mess will eventually have it dropped on them but the excitement goes right to the end.

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Recent Reviews of Michael Clayton by our members

You rated this movie: 3	Reviewed by: TB See my reviews
Michael Clayton review by TB Clooney and another political thriller (2) of (2) members found this review helpful. Very American story about conspiracies in the business world, but fear not the hero will prevail, so no surprises in the end.

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You rated this movie: 1

Reviewed by: LG
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Michael Clayton review by LG

What was it about exactly, who is this guy, plot...what plot?

(1) of (1) members found this review helpful.

I don't know if we watched a different film but I don't know how this film can be described as engaging, thrilling or gripping, it seemed to over complicate things by not actually explaining anything, the film wants you to put more than all your effort to understand it and it just isn't worth it, with it's strange sub plots (i.e. Michael Clayton's family were brought into the film a few times but it went no where and left you wondering why they were even in it). We waited for the film to 'get into it' but let's just say this didn't happen until the final 5 minutes (I think but who can be sure), which is when George Clooney sort of explains his job, normally in films these hints are dropped in the beginning to give the viewer some idea of what is going on; this film decided to re-invent this idea completely. Maybe there was a little drama somewhere in the film, who knows, I think I'd dropped into a confusion/boredom induced coma by that point. We found this film so boring just because it made it so difficult to get into purely due to the fact that it didn't explain who anyone is or what they do, we can usually pick up on things in films quite quickly but this was an impossible watch and we got the feeling the only effort they made was to hire George Clooney and thought 'this will get the ratings'...the evidence of this is at the end credits; we get to watch him sitting staring at nothingness in the back of a taxi for 10 minutes, this just sums the film up. I wouldn't recommend this film as it seems to want you to stay confused and lost all the way through...and what were the 3 horses on the hill all about?

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You rated this movie: 3	Reviewed by: JD See my reviews
Michael Clayton review by JD Nice and watchable (1) of (3) members found this review helpful. A good film worth watching but pretty unremarkable. Too similar to other Clooney films. Thriller is not a good description, though it keeps ones interest going.

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All Other Members Reviews

You rated this movie: 5	Reviewed by: Ang See my reviews
Michael Clayton review by Ang Boring (0) of (2) members found this review helpful. Had to turn it off half way through. My husband also found it very boring. Very rare we feel we can't watch a film!