michael clayton

[rone]

Michael Clayton was really good.  George Clooney does a great job at playing a man who gets more and more frazzled as events continually refuse to go his way, and Tom Wilkinson (a criminally underrated actor) channels Peter Finch as Howard Beale.  Sydney Pollack more or less reprises his role from Eyes Wide Shut, Tilda Swinton is a stressed-out liar, and the kid who plays Clayton's son performs admirably and is far from "obnoxiously precocious", as the pinhead with the featured review on IMDb would have you think (Clayton's brother was no "noble cop", either, or he wouldn't've "helped" his lawyer brother the way he did).  In the end, where Clayton walks away from Crowder after the climactic scene, you see a man with an unbelieving elation that's overcome with adrenalin; Clooney nails it.

I wanted to see it again after we were done, which makes it the third movie, after Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Shakespeare in Love.  And, hey, who's the common factor?  Tom Wilkinson!

Comments

best line ever:

[rimrunner.livejournal.com]

"Do you know what happens to a man who can't pay his debts? HIS BOOTS CATCH FIRE!"

That whole scene never fails to make me laugh.

[ikkyu2.livejournal.com]

I loved Sydney Pollack's table full of liquor in Eyes Wide Shut. I have tried to duplicate it in my own house, even though I don't drink much liquor.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Really want to see Michael Clayton. On the subject of Wilkinson love, have you seen In the Bedroom?

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Nope, but that looks good. I'll put it in the rental queue.

[opadit.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Michael Clayton yet, but every time I see an ad for it, I turn to Steve and say, "'Do I look like I'm negotiating?!' There, did that make me sound like a lawyer yet?"

Is that you looking your Clooney best?

[(Anonymous)]

Or just an updated photo? - Ritik

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

It's actually an old photo, from 2003, the last time i was in NYC (it's outside Carnegie Hall).