There’s a great George Clooney film in here somewhere, but you have to look mighty hard to find it.
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09/28/07
Michael Clayton (2007)
90
%
Tomatometer
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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.
Theatrical Release:28-09-2007
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
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Think old chewing gum with a masculine flavour.
09/28/07
Not a bundle of laughs but a brilliant and compelling drama. This is Clooney at his very best.
09/28/07
Expertly paced, tautly written and superbly cast, it may turn out to be the most auspicious debut of the year.
09/29/07
Clooney has seldom been better as Clayton, a man beginning to feel that his skill is not exactly being put to good uses.
09/29/07
Gorgeous George is wonderfully jaundiced as Michael Clayton, an amoral corporate lawyer who has made his name by defending the indefensible.
09/28/07
Top CriticThis offers moments of suspense, some pointed scenes and star charisma, but it’s also a touch confused. Heads will be scratched before they roll.
09/28/07
Top CriticIt's all very smooth, but the problem is it's also a bit anodyne and unlikely to hold up in comparisons to Clooney's other 'serious' films, whose stories have more to offer underneath the polish.
09/28/07
Top CriticA potentially corny plot is stylishly executed, abetted by a perfect cast.
09/29/07
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.
09/28/07
Impressively directed, superbly acted thriller, but it moves too slowly to really engage the audience and ultimately works better as a character study.
09/27/07
The real triumph is Clooney's, his award-worthy work confirming his status as this generation's most watchable leading man.
09/29/07
A somewhat far-fetched, melodramatic ending restores some self-esteem to Clayton. But not before we have seen the weariness and anger chip away at that handsome face.
09/28/07
Top CriticInsinuating 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.
09/29/07
A slow, moody and insomniac thriller which wears its social conscience very much on its sleeve.
09/15/07
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.
09/28/07
Top CriticIt's a cool, intelligent thriller and boasts a closing confrontation between Clooney and Swinton that is truly stand-out.
09/28/07
A good fix from a good fixer.
09/28/07
Hipster filmmakers keep looking backwards to the 1970s, hoping to disguise how ill-equipped they are to deal with contemporary social issues.
10/03/07
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.
09/01/07
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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