Michael Clayton

[jesse_custer]

Thought it would be suitable to have a thread about one of the more praised films of 2007, new to DVD now.

The acting is the film's clear strength. Wilkinson descends into moral madness convincingly. Swinton seems like a big girl who, deep down inside, can't handle real life. And Clooney underacts to keep you guessing.

Unfortunately, while the rest of the movie is adequate, neither the screenwriting nor the directing nor the visual style is particularly impressive in light of "No Country For Old Men," "There Will Be Blood," "Rescue Dawn," "Zodiac," "Eastern Promises," "Ratatouille," etc.

One of my biggest gripes
Earlier in the film, Wilkinson has a spill about how he's been working for murderers. He says that he is "Shiva, God of death." Near the conclusion, Clooney confronts Swinton on her order to kill Wilkinson. After setting up her up for a fall, he then says "I am Shiva, God of death." This was a really cheesy and awkward allusion in an otherwise logical film. For a similar mistake in another movie, look at the butterfly reference in "I Am Legend."

Overall, a fairly consistent ***(out of four stars) film.

[Omega Alpha]

It's a nice and good film, but nothing original or particularly remarkable about it. No way Clooney, tie director and the movie deserved the Oscar nomination.

[jesse_custer]

I agree the film shouldn't have been nominated for best director or picture awards, but Clooney's performance, while debateable in this context, is still quite good.

[Omega Alpha]

It's a fine performance, but nothing special. If Clooney wasn't arguably Hollywood's biggest star at the moment, it would have been completely ignored. Both he and Depp (and you can add Ruby Dee in that) were nominated because of who they are, not their performances.

[ultramandingo]

....bet they start nominating more movie stars over "actors" next year to boost the ratings - no one i work with saw any of the best picture noms ( i work with retards ) ...... plus dane cooke wiil be the host

[mlcm]

I really liked the film, especially the amount of character depth going on. Clooney gave a great performance (I don't know if I'd say "best actor" level) and was supported by a terrific cast. I'd like to see Sydney Pollack act more, honestly.

[Omega Alpha]

I'd like to see Sydney Pollack act more, honestly.


Me too. I think he's a mediocre director, but an excellent actor.

[jesse_custer]

Mediocre in what way exactly? Did you like "Jeremiah Johnson?"

I really like Pollack's performance in "Eyes Wide Shut."

[mlcm]

Mediocre in what way exactly? Did you like "Jeremiah Johnson?"

I really like Pollack's performance in "Eyes Wide Shut."

I think he's more of an actor's director, rather than a visual stylist. He manages to squeeze out terrific performances from everybody he works with.

[ultramandingo]

...........check out his The Scalphunters (1968) Burt Lancaster , Ossie Davis , Shelley Winters and Telly Savalas - hi larious

[Omega Alpha]

Mediocre in what way exactly? Did you like "Jeremiah Johnson?"


Haven't seen it. But Tootsie, The Firm, The Interpreter, Random Hearts, Havana, none of those is good, and the last two are actually bad. I haven't watched Sabrina in a long time, but I remember disliking it too.

[mlcm]

Haven't seen it. But Tootsie, The Firm, The Interpreter, Random Hearts, Havana, none of those is good, and the last two are actually bad. I haven't watched Sabrina in a long time, but I remember disliking it too.

Isn't Tootsie considered one of the best comedies ever?

[Omega Alpha]

Isn't Tootsie considered one of the best comedies ever?

Not by me, obviously.

[kalorama]

Thought it would be suitable to have a thread about one of the more praised films of 2007, new to DVD now.

The acting is the film's clear strength. Wilkinson descends into moral madness convincingly. Swinton seems like a big girl who, deep down inside, can't handle real life. And Clooney underacts to keep you guessing.

Unfortunately, while the rest of the movie is adequate, neither the screenwriting nor the directing nor the visual style is particularly impressive in light of "No Country For Old Men," "There Will Be Blood," "Rescue Dawn," "Zodiac," "Eastern Promises," "Ratatouille," etc.

One of my biggest gripes
Earlier in the film, Wilkinson has a spill about how he's been working for murderers. He says that he is "Shiva, God of death." Near the conclusion, Clooney confronts Swinton on her order to kill Wilkinson. After setting up her up for a fall, he then says "I am Shiva, God of death." This was a really cheesy and awkward allusion in an otherwise logical film. For a similar mistake in another movie, look at the butterfly reference in "I Am Legend."

Overall, a fairly consistent ***(out of four stars) film.

I disagree. It wasn't cheesy or awkward. He was taunting the killer with the victim's own words, in a very pointed and effective fashion. It was basically his way of saying, "This one's for (insert character's name)" without actually saying it.

[blueblueblue]

Meh, felt the movie was entertaining/interesting, but definitely not Oscar material...

Good movie, but ask me in 5 years what it was about and I'll be ??????. On the other hand, you can't say the same about the other nominated movies (i.e. There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men).

[jesse_custer]

I disagree. It wasn't cheesy or awkward. He was taunting the killer with the victim's own words, in a very pointed and effective fashion. It was basically his way of saying, "This one's for (insert character's name)" without actually saying it.

But the killer didn't even know about those words, so how could it be that taunting? It seemed more like a lame reference for dramatic effect instead of something a person would do.

[Infernorhythm]

It was more of a "my life sucks, I'm nothing but a janitor. I clean up the bad messes" sort of thing. Notice how Arthur kept refering to themselves as janitors and by the end of the movie Michael was so jaded that he referred to himself as a janitor. The Shiva line was more about his acceptance than anything else.

[moebius]

It was exactly what it ended up being at the Oscars: a good, smart, enjoyable but workmanlike thriller with great performances that wasn't on the same level in terms of narrative or cinematography as No Country or TWBB. That it got nominated isn't some crime; it was as good or better than Juno, which was also up for Best Picture. Maybe it was just a weak year.

One thing that bothered me was they spent the whole movie talking about what an irreplaceable fixer Clooney is...but the only time he's called on to do any fixing he can't!

[jesse_custer]

It was more of a "my life sucks, I'm nothing but a janitor. I clean up the bad messes" sort of thing. Notice how Arthur kept refering to themselves as janitors and by the end of the movie Michael was so jaded that he referred to himself as a janitor. The Shiva line was more about his acceptance than anything else.

Yeah I get that, but it didn't seem natural but very contrived and corny.

[jesse_custer]

Maybe it was just a weak year.

Been a pretty strong year in my opinion. For instance, I thought Rescue Dawn, Zodiac, King of Kong, Grindhouse, The Assassination of Jesse James, Ratatouille, and Eastern Promises were more deserving of Best Picture nominations than Michael Clayton, as good as it was.

[Omega Alpha]

Been a pretty strong year in my opinion. For instance, I thought Rescue Dawn, Zodiac, King of Kong, Grindhouse, The Assassination of Jesse James, Ratatouille, and Eastern Promises were more deserving of Best Picture nominations than Michael Clayton, as good as it was.

I agree. I think this year was the best for movies since 1999.

[jesse_custer]

Yeah, I can agree with that. 2006 had some awesome stuff, too (Pan's Labyrinth, The Proposition (American release), Brick, Children of Men, etc.).

[kalorama]

But the killer didn't even know about those words, so how could it be that taunting? It seemed more like a lame reference for dramatic effect instead of something a person would do.

Well, it was a drama, so dramatic effect would seem to be a logical thing. People in movies don't always act the way people in real life do.

Whether the killer ever heard the original words is irrelevant. The words were also for his own benefit , a sign of his own resolve to put things right. By participating in the sting he was getting justice for a murdered friend and, at the same time, gaining a measure of personal redemption for his part in the events that lead to his friend's death.

[jesse_custer]

Well, it was a drama, so dramatic effect would seem to be a logical thing. People in movies don't always act the way people in real life do.

There are varying degrees of freedom, however, depending on the established style of the drama. I thought Michael Clayton attemped to be a more realistic drama for the first hour and a half. In other words, this movie isn't held down by intense melodrama that you would be accustomed to seeing in classic Greek tragedies. So while I realize "dramatic effect" goes with "drama," not all dramas are suited for an obsession with language and allusion. In short, I felt each character acted like they would in real life--or at least represented a reasonable proxy of real life--up until the point Clooney used that line.

[Frank]

I liked it but with all the praises it got I was hoping for something more original and complex than what I saw. First half of Michael Clayton was interesting, second half became the typical John Grisham thriller-type and then it ends when the hero trick the villain by taping the conversation. And why is it that every movie with a man having a mid-life crisis there's a scene where he has to pick up his kid and it becomes that supposely meaningful thing. lol

[Ilash]

Well, I finally saw this and I have to say that while it was a very well put together thriller, it did feel like it had the potential to be much more than that.

I thought the character stuff was very well handled and the title character was a very well drawn three-dimensional human being - even if the themes that he dealt with weren't exactly original. It also had a fittingly sombre, moody atmosphere that puts it well above the bland films that the thriller genre is often associated with.

The best thing about it is probably the acting of George Clooney, Sydney Pollack and especially Tom Wilkinson but I'm totally astounded by Tilda Swinton's Oscar win. She was fine and everything but she had very little screen time and I can't believe that there were no better supporting actresses last year than this.

As for the film's best picture nomination, I don't think it belongs there. I do think that Juno and Michael Clayton were, unlike the other nominees, genre pieces (teenage comedy drama and thriller respectively) but I feel that Juno really did something special with its generic conventions, while Michael Clayton, good as it was, didn't.

Eastern Promises was a more deserving nominee than Michael Clayton but the fifth nominee really, really should have been The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I should mention that I absolutely agree that the first two thirds of the movie were much more interesting than the slightly disappointing end.

[meethraa]

. plus dane cooke wiil be the host

Please, tell me this was just a very bad joke.

[elheffe]

One thing that bothered me was they spent the whole movie talking about what an irreplaceable fixer Clooney is...but the only time he's called on to do any fixing he can't!

That bugged me too. On either case the one in upstate or the U-North one he didn't do much 'fixing.' But I thought it was a great movie.

[Omega Alpha]

One thing that bothered me was they spent the whole movie talking about what an irreplaceable fixer Clooney is...but the only time he's called on to do any fixing he can't!

That's exactly what happened to Carson Wells. Or Gene Hackman in The Conversation, if you think about it.

[Nadia Bjorlin]

I watched it last week but the plots were off and while Clooney's execution of his role wasn't bad at all..the pace of the movie sucked.

[kalorama]

So while I realize "dramatic effect" goes with "drama," not all dramas are suited for an obsession with language and allusion.


But this one quite clearly was, because there because between Wilkinson's mania-infused speeches, the use of words and imagery from the little boy's fantasy novel to draw parallels to the "real" story, and the visual imagery of the horses in the field that drew Clayton from his car, this film was rife with usage of "language and allusion" making Clayton's reference at the end perfectly fitting with the overall film.