That may seem like a strange statement but in retrospect it must surely now be seen as the turning point in the career of George Clooney, unknowingly providing a catalyst for one of the most impressively consistent growing bodies of work any film artist has produced in the decade that followed it's much lamented release. That may also sound like a pretty big statement, but I don't think it can be overestimated how significant a figure Clooney has become in the current film climate, and the excellent Michael Clayton (2007), which he starred in and produced, represents probably his finest work to date. Firstly, crossing over from television to film can be notoriously difficult and the catastrophic failure of his brief stint as Batman seemed certain to bury any prospective movie career following his immensely popular recurring role on E.R. Clearly burned by the experience, Clooney resolved to take advantage of the financial security he had established by this point and focus only on projects of real merit. Easy to say you might think, but the fact is Clooney has delivered the goods. Out of Sight (1998) was the film that started the run, a smart, hip crime caper directed by Steven Soderbergh and the perfect showcase for Clooney's laidback charm. As well as achieving what one may now think the impossible in getting any kind of real performance from Jennifer Lopez as an actress, Soderbergh forged a lasting partnership with Clooney on the film. They set up the Section Eight production company which has provided both a base for their own further collaborations (the Ocean's movies, 2001, 2004, 2007, Solaris, 2002, The Good German, 2006), and an outlet for the cultivation of other talented filmmakers including Christopher Nolan (Insomnia, 2002), Todd Haynes (Far from Heaven, 2002) and Richard Linklater (A Scanner Darkly, 2006) to name but a few. Indeed, one of surest signs of a smart operator in any field is the quality of the collaborators they align themselves with. In addition to Soderbergh, Clooney has worked with a number of other esteemed directors such as Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line, 1998) Wolfgang Petersen (The Perfect Storm, 2000) Stephen Frears (TV-movie Fail Safe, 2000), and the Coen Brothers (O Brother, Where Art Thou?, 2000, Intolerable Cruelty, 2003, Burn After Reading, 2008). Perhaps most impressive though are those films to channel Clooney's keen interest in politics and current events. Usually when movie stars engage in political debate, they end up wading into waters way out of their depth and the public collectively roll their eyes. Evidently too smart for that, Clooney instead uses his medium the way any artist should to make his feelings known. David O. Russell's brilliant Three Kings (1999) remains by far the best film made about the first Gulf War – on the surface an entertaining heist movie but underneath a darkly satiric take on the hypocrisy of American involvement in the conflict (at one point the film almost breaches the sacred fourth wall as Clooney virtually speaks into camera "Bush told the people to rise up against Saddam. They thought they'd have our support. They don't. Now they're getting slaughtered"). This was followed by an Oscar-winning turn in Stephen Gaghan's Syriana (2005), again revisiting U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, and Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), which he also co-wrote and directed in addition to a key supporting role, re-creating TV journalist Edward R. Morrow's famous media battle with Senator Joe McCarthy during the Communist witch-hunts of the 50s. The modern day parallels with America's post-9/11, post-Patriot Act culture of fear are there for all to consider. That film also confirmed Clooney as one of the most interesting new directors around, fulfilling the potential of his stylish though flawed biopic of Gong Show host Chuck Barris, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002). He has a seemingly natural command behind the camera, inviting comparisons with the likes of Warren Beatty or Clint Eastwood, who similarly used their onscreen popularity to embark on directing careers. The influence these achievements have now afforded him give Clooney a rather unique position amongst Hollywood's current hierarchy. He has the rare and much-sought after ability to get movies made, and whilst it wouldn't necessarily be true to say that everything he touches automatically turns to gold – there have been both commercial and artistic failures – the films he works on in whatever capacity are almost always commendable in their intent, demonstrating a commitment to the kind of 'real' filmmaking our generation sees so little of.
The film was the debut feature of Tony Gilroy, a highly experienced writer (most notably of the popular Bourne trilogy, 2002, 2004, 2007) stepping behind the camera to direct his own material for the first time, and represents an auspicious start. Like Clooney, who is a vocal proponent of the considered and naturalistic style employed by 70s greats like Sidney Lumet and Alan J. Pakula, Gilroy's approach advocates a deliberate pacing and subtle development of plot and character that recalls the classics of that era. Though suitably moody and atmospheric - the grey, wintry palette establishes a kind of moral fog that engulfs the film, threatening to blind the characters – Gilroy is smart enough to let his cast take centre stage. Tom Wilkinson is one of the most reliable actors around and his mere presence is often enough to elevate a film all by itself. In the showiest of the principal roles here, he accomplishes the tricky task of finding a true centre in a person who seems to lurch from barely lucid ravings to controlled professional calculation on a whim. There is also expert support from Tilda Swinton, in a nice gender twist as the main face of corporate ruthlessness, and Sydney Pollack, as Clayton's patriarchal boss, but the film undoubtedly belongs to Clooney. In virtually every scene, he carries the film with a muted, introspective performance, dialling down all that natural charisma as a man at a personal crossroads. This is a man who recognises his place in the world and can't stomach the truth of it. Clooney doesn't have the most expansive range, but he knows his strengths and knows how to utilise them. He's an extremely generous actor, often 'giving' scenes to his fellow performers who have the bigger moments to play, and yet he still retains the audience's primary focus. Early on, everything you need to know about the character is established when he is called out to the home of a client who has fled the scene of an accident in which he ran over a pedestrian. As the guilty man gesticulates wildly and pitifully runs through vain excuses, indignantly demanding a quick solution in exchange for the substantial retainer he pays the firm, Clooney simply stands there, allowing the man to continue letting off steam before quietly telling him how it is. He's no miracle-worker - he simply knows all of the angles and knows how things will play out. The scene, though not directly related to the rest of the plot, is a self-contained masterwork and an example of perfect writing, direction and performance fused to achieve a very simple goal. Similarly, the film's brave last shot is a static, silent close-up of Clooney in the back of a cab, and as he sits quietly you can see him internally processing the events that have taken place over the course of the film. With a bare minimum of expression, you see anger, frustration, sorrow, confusion and, ultimately, a drained resignation. Gilroy holds the shot for three or four minutes and it shouldn't work, but you won't be able to take your eyes away. This is Clooney's best work as an actor. If there's a flaw at all with the film, one could rightfully point out that this is not especially original material. Tales of emboldened individuals taking on corrupt leviathans are frequent and predictable, but when presented with the conviction and credibility that this film possesses, are undeniably compelling. Michael Clayton also has the benefit of being timely and is another of Clooney's films to exhibit a clear social conscience with issues of corporate malfeasance and public endangerment front and centre. This is an intelligent entertainment, impeccably crafted, and one of the best films of 2007. Alec Price |
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One might wonder if in years to come people will look back upon Joel Schumacher's ill-fated Batman and Robin and consider it as a significant work of recent cinema history. Of course, as everyone knows, it was infamously one of the worst films ever made – a ridiculous pantomime of camp grotesquery masquerading as a movie. However, I'm seriously beginning to think it was actually an inadvertent force for good.
Which brings us to Michael Clayton. Clooney takes the title role as an expert 'fixer' for a high-profile New York law firm who, on the verge of career burnout amidst rising debts and a serial gambling addiction, is regularly called upon to clean up the various messes created by the firm's wealthy clients. When one of those messes is created by colleague and close friend Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), who suffers a breakdown whilst defending a large agrichemical company against a class action law suit, Clayton is dispatched to provide damage control with a pre-trial settlement hanging in the balance. However, as he gets closer to the underlying facts of the case, he finds the rampant cynicism of the machinations devised by the parties at hand too much to accept any longer.
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