Michael Clayton A Movie Review	MPAA Rated - R It's 2:00 Long A Review by The Dude on the Right

Here’s the story…

Michael Clayton is what’s known in legal circles as a "fixer," the guy first called when high profile clients do something stupid, i.e. drunk driving, hit and run, etc., to get the ball rolling to minimize the damage. He works at a high-powered law firm that is representing U/North, an agrochemical company in a class-action lawsuit for making some chemicals that killed some people. The lead attorney is Arthur (Tom Wilkinson), and rather than take his meds he goes slightly crazy, and as we find out, has actually been working to sabotage the case because he knows U/North is guilty.

So the firm calls on Michael to get Arthur under control, but Michael is having his own problems at the same time, namely trying to be a good dad, save his ass from a bad bar investment, try to stay in control of his gambling problem, and wrestling with his own conscience. Meanwhile, Karen (Tilda Swinton) chief counsel for U/North, is pulling out all of the stops to protect her company and her reputation, and finds herself immersed in an unfamiliar world of covert operations.

I think I’ll just leave the movie synopsis at that because detailing any more starts to give away some major plot points, and for this movie, being a suspense flick, it’s all about not knowing too much before you watch the movie to be able to enjoy it. The wonder I do have is other than critics (who have been praising it), and film buffs, I don’t think the average movie-goer, at least not today’s average movie-goer, will like the film that much. The reason I say that is "Michael Clayton" is a suspense/thriller/drama in the highest sense of those terms, with multiple story lines, lots of slower-paced moments developing those story lines, and even though there’s that scene of Michael running through the woods in the trailer, I will spoil it a tad saying he’s not being chased which is what a lot of moviegoers would want.

The thing is, "Michael Clayton" is a really good movie for what it sets out to achieve, and the movie has some of the best performances of the year, from Tilda Swinton showing the apparent toughness of her outside persona to the debilitating inside persona knowing the courses of action she has set in motion, to Tom Wilkinson portraying the lawyer Arthur who some might say "loses it," but actually just seems to be looking for his moment of clarity. And as much as I have to be jealous of George Clooney for being the ladies man he is, his portrayal of Michael Clayton is nothing but perfect. From the dealings with his son, to the dealings with his family, to the wonder in his eyes at his career choice, to the scene with the hit-and-run dude, Clooney lets us feel the pain Clayton is constantly going through.

As far as liking "Michael Clayton" I don’t see too many people coming out of the theater in the middle of the pack. I see some people who would have rather seen George Clooney involved in some sort of gunfight, coming out of the thinking saying the movie is a piece of crap, while the other group, knowing what they are getting, will find "Michael Clayton" as a well-crafted thriller that actually thrives because their wasn’t a gunfight. Me, I liked the film, give it 4 stars out of 5, but will understand if you think it sucked.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!