“Michael Clayton” is a decent movie but if you are valuing a film by its Oscar nominations, this one is overrated. The story focuses on a “fixer” who uses his connections to help clients avoid legal issues. His life is derailed when a fellow fixer can no longer live with his guilt and forces Clayton to reevaluate his livelihood. The concept has great potential as a thriller but its pacing makes it feel more like a slow-moving drama. Despite a few thrilling moments, I find the film’s nominations for Best Director and Screenplay to be a misrepresentation of the final product due to the frequency of moments that drag on. If their intention was to make this a drama, they could have strengthened the titular character by exploring his family more. Considering the amount that they influence his actions, the script fails to show us why he values them so much. The film’s redemption is the incredible acting of George Clooney (Oscar nominated), Tom Wilkinson (Oscar nominated), and Sydney Pollack. They kept me engaged and invested in their characters, with Wilkinson in particular giving the performance of a lifetime. He would have won the Oscar any other year but I can't argue against Javier Bardem's win for "No Country for Old Men." On the opposite end of the spectrum, I was completely let down by Tilda Swinton’s performance. I had a high expectation knowing that she won an Oscar for this performance but I believe that her masterful roles in “We Need to Talk About Kevin” and “Snowpiercer” were much more deserving than this one. Still, the overall acting throughout the film is fantastic. “Michael Clayton” is a movie that is absolutely worth watching. Just don’t expect the story to be as thrilling as the synopsis implies or the film to be worthy of 7 Oscar nominations.
[Pictured: Clooney and Wilkinson are reason enough to watch this film]
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