Michael Clayton

That was a surprise. George Clooney in a film that is not comedy nor love-story. Michael Clayton reminded me a lot of films like The Bourne Ultimatum or Grishams The Firm. There was no action like in the Bourne Ultimatum but Clooney did quite a good job in playing the role of Michael Clayton. Michael Clayton, an attorney and former gambling addict, working now for a big Law Firm usually does the job "behind the lines". He cares for the "things that must be done" besides the regular lawyers work.

Diovorced and bankrupt because of his former gambling addiction he has enough to do to get along with his own life. When his friend an colleague was obviously killed by the company he was working for, Michael Clayton notices something like a conscience in him and begins to continue the work and research of his former friend and lawyer. He finds out that there is something terribly wrong with the company that he and his colleagues were working for...

As I mentioned, I was surprised about this film and I like it. But it is not more than average to me. Hard to follow the first 30 minutes, the story is not really fascinating, somehow trivial for today and I would not be surprised if things like this happen in reality...daily...somewhere.
The good thing is, that Clooney leaves a lot of space in the person of Michael Clayton. Enough space for the viewer to make up his own mind about the big business and the person of Michael Clayton in particular.
It is somehow an old fashioned movie...playing with the values of conscience and moral. The critics will love it...I am sure!!