Michael Clayton (2007) - A

"Michael Clayton" is kind of like "Erin Brockovich" from the other side. George Clooney stars as Clayton, the "fixer" for a major law firm in New York. He is called in when his friend Arthur, played wonderfully by Tom Wilkinson (the father in "In the Bedroom,") snaps during a deposition for a major case the firm is working on. Arthur is defending chemical company U/North from a massive class-action lawsuit alleging that their products have killed or sickened hundreds of people. Arthur decides he can't take the hypocrisy any more, and starts ranting during a deposition, leading the firm's senior partner Marty Bach (played by Sydney Pollack) to send Clayton in to clean up the mess before the firm faces a major malpractice suit.

Clayton is the perfect George Clooney role. You immediately take a shine to him because he's clearly sharp, and definitely knows how to cut through the BS. On the other hand, he's made a long series of poor decisions, including foolishly trying to start a bar with his loser brother, which has left him in debt to the wrong kind of people. You can smell his desperation as he tries to keep everything afloat. Throughout, you can see his basic decency, even though he's definitely been soiled by his long years of doing the firm's dirty work. As Clayton slowly works out the truth behind Arthur's actions, it's wonderful to watch him struggle with conflicting impulses of self-interest, friendship, and doing what is right.

The script is great, filled with sharp dialogue, and creating a movie where you definitely feel you are greatly rewarded for paying close attention. There were several times in the movie where a character would say something and I felt "I was just thinking exactly that thing!" The various twists and turns in the movie are great fun. The strong script, coupled with Clooney's great performance, and strong performances from the supporting cast, meant that I walked out of "Michael Clayton" feeling "Wow, what a well done movie."

Final Grade: A