Michael Clayton

I missed catching Michael Clayton pre-Oscar (my home town theater must rent 'em by the hour) so I was eager to catch the DVD. This was nominated for darn near everything, and I'm here to tell you, rightfully so. Smart, well written, with an all-star fabulous cast - I can't believe that only Tilda Swinton took home a statuette. I think everyone else may have been robbed.

Michael Clayton (George Clooney who only gets better and better,) is what the profession calls a "fixer." He cleans up the messes at his high profile law firm; from handling the high priced client who mows down a pedestrian to guarding the precarious mental health of a brilliant senior partner. When said senior partner (Tom Wilkinson) has a meltdown and decides to turn whistleblower on a multi-billion dollar corporate lawsuit and winds up dead, Michael realizes he may have a problem even HE can't fix.

Tilda Swinton is a nightmare of raw nerves and tattered sensibilities as the corporate lawyer way over her head and Clooney is priceless as a flawed man who has become comfortable with his weaknesses. Tony Gilroy wrote and directed, although Sydney Pollack has a supporting role as Clooney's boss. I don't know, but I think this was a better movie than No Country for Old Men... but you be the judge. See the website here.