Directed by the Bourne trilogy’s screenwriter James Gilroy, Michael Clayton is drove by George Clooney in another one of his marvelous performances as a weary lawyer who cleans after legal garbage left by the clients of a renowned law firm. When the firm’s top shark played by Tom Wilkinson suffers from a meltdown during his defense of a mysterious chemical company from lawsuits, a crisis arises. This gave Clayton the chance to pick up the pieces of his broken life and career and get back on track. He finds out a cover-up of the company’s management to not issue payments to farmers highly affected by their products. Co-producing the film, George Clooney also offered quiet but spirited determination from his character and also found compelling support from Sydney Pollack, Michael O’Keefe, and Wilkinson as well. The well-written script by Gilroy also brought more life to the movie by challenging Clayton as he attempts to reveal the truth behind the cover-up. Although the film’s ending is pat, with the simple message that corporations can be evil and one who is involved in the works will soon feel conscientious, it remains emotionally satisfying. Tilda Swinton’s talents are wasted in her role as the chemical company’s distraught and heartless lawyer. Despite this fact, Clooney fans will be overjoyed to add Michael Clayton to his fine list of damaged heroes.
Steven Soderbergh created this profitable franchise. Like the previous two movies before it, Ocean’s Thirteen awed audiences by featuring George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Brad Pitt in the same movie along with other known names as supporting characters. Set in Las Vegas, the boys plan to go against the new project of a slanderous hotelier played by Al Pacino as revenge for the ailing Reuben played by Elliot Gould. If you take a closer look at the plot, the entire framework breaks down but Soderbergh added a new visual style that almost kicks like Bobby Darin at the Copa. Shooting the film himself using his pseudonym Peter Andrews, Soderbergh’s outstanding performance on making the widescreen float through the colorful spaces of Las Vegas and groups of people lounging and talking in hotel rooms is the only other reason to see the movie, aside from the fact that the cast is star-studded of course.
The usual comic of Ocean’s Twelve that came from Scott Caan and Casey Affleck are lacking in this movie but makes up for it by mixing up the skills of David Paymer, Bob Einstein, and Eddie Izzard. On the other hand, Ellin Barkin plays the assistant of Al Pacino while Pacino himself is satisfied to chew on some lines for the duration of the movie, with his hair dyed Trumpian orange to boot. The most confusing factor that most Clooney fans will notice however is that why George was satisfied of not being in the center stage; although his performance and his conversations with Brad Pitt are an entertaining form of male script. All in all, the usual Clooney coolness makes the long finale and everything about the movie believable.
