If Michael Clayton, Bourne go-to adapter Tony Gilroy's directorial debut, is any indication, he has a pretty serious crush on '70s cinema. Gilroy lenses the film with cold hues and the ache of distance, and infuses the script with anomie and matter-of-fact violence. At a preview screening, he noted that Klute was a major influence on the tone and style of the film, and it shows.
The good news is, it works.
The film chronicles the fallout from a corporate defense lawyer's (Tom Wilkinson) mental breakdown during a deposition in a multi-billion-dollar class action suit. Clayton (George Clooney) is a self-described "janitor" who specializes in cleaning up just this sort of mess. The rest of the movie unfolds as one part character study and one part corporate intrigue.
Although in no hurry, Clayton grabs you and involves you for its 119 minute run time. That Clooney can carry the film is no surprise, but that Wilkinson can knock a performance out of the park even further than he did with In the Bedroom is impressive. You heard it here first: Best. Supporting. Actor.
Tilda Swinton also gives a strong performance that shows the human face of corporate corruption as more of a snowball effect than calculated evil. Sidney Pollack, Michael O'Keefe, and Robert Prescott all provide solid support as well.
While the film has nothing new to say about big-ass companies and the voodoo they do, it does a very good job of using that as a context for exploring Clayton's character. If you're into murky '70s neo-noir, you'll find Michael Clayton to be a satisfying throwback.
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