Movie reviews, production notes, and more! - "Michael Clayton"

Movie Review: Michael Clayton

Film Review By Michael Phillips, Tribune Movie Critic "Michael Clayton" makes old-style Hollywood craftsmanship look easy. It's one of the most satisfying films of the year, recalling a classy breed of studio film more common in the 1970s and the early `80s. Such films often made money, but they weren't blockbusters and didn't try to be. Generally they were too low-key to bust any blocks. So is "Michael Clayton," but I suspect it will wear well, and well past Oscar season. It comes from screenwriter Tony Gilroy, whose knack for tough, fast dialogue has done a lot to keep the "Bourne" franchise viable. Here he makes a smooth transition into feature film directing. It's not an excitingly made picture, exactly, and Clooney's character is more anchor than magnet. But nearly everything in "Michael Clayton" works the way it's supposed to, and every actor feels right. Its title role is made for a movie star, just as the protagonist of Sidney Lumet's legal drama "The Verdict" was, and Clooney is by now actor enough (as well as movie star enough) to take it easy on screen while staying inside a character's skin. In "Michael Clayton" he plays a ... read more Official Web Site: http://michaelclayton.warnerbros.com/ Back to main movie page Showing Today at: Click here for other showings