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Michael Clayton (2007)
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Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Tony Gilroy (written by)
Release Date:
12 October 2007 (USA)
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Tagline:
The Truth Can Be Adjusted
Plot:
A law firm brings in its "fixer" to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multi-billion dollar class action suit. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar.
Another 12 wins
&
51 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(280 articles)
Burke and Hare Cameras Rolling! Tim Curry on Board!
(From Dread Central. 4 February 2010, 11:38 AM, PST)
Actors and Actresses: Stats, Careers and Trivia
(From FilmExperience. 4 February 2010, 8:58 AM, PST)
(From Dread Central. 4 February 2010, 11:38 AM, PST)
Actors and Actresses: Stats, Careers and Trivia
(From FilmExperience. 4 February 2010, 8:58 AM, PST)
User Reviews:
A satisfying flick, but you have to pay attention.
more (323 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Tom Wilkinson | ... | Arthur Edens | |
| Michael O'Keefe | ... | Barry Grissom | |
| Sydney Pollack | ... | Marty Bach | |
| Danielle Skraastad | ... | Bridget Klein (voice) | |
| Tilda Swinton | ... | Karen Crowder | |
| George Clooney | ... | Michael Clayton | |
| Wai Chan | ... | Chinese Dealer | |
| Alberto Vazquez | ... | Player #1 | |
| Brian Koppelman | ... | Player #2 | |
| Thomas McCarthy | ... | Walter (voice) (as Tom McCarthy) | |
| Denis O'Hare | ... | Mr. Greer | |
| Julie White | ... | Mrs. Greer | |
| Austin Williams | ... | Henry Clayton | |
| Jennifer Van Dyck | ... | Ivy | |
| Frank Wood | ... | Gerald |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for language including some sexual dialogue.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
119 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
UK:15 |
Ireland:15A |
Norway:11 |
Finland:K-11 |
Australia:MA |
Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) |
Canada:G (Quebec) |
Canada:PG (British Columbia) |
Germany:12 |
Denmark:11 |
Netherlands:6 |
Hong Kong:IIB |
USA:R (certificate #43163) |
Sweden:11 |
Argentina:13 |
Taiwan:R-12 (original rating) |
France:U |
Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) |
Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) |
South Korea:15 |
Singapore:NC-16 |
Brazil:12 |
South Africa:13L |
Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) |
New Zealand:M |
Norway:10 (TV rating) |
India:A
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Both George Clooney and Michael O'Keefe played boyfriends of Laurie Metcalf on "Roseanne" (1988).
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Goofs:
Continuity: In the early part of the film, during a drive in Manhattan, a tree can clearly be seen in vivid bloom, which occurs in Spring. However, the rest of the scenes take place in a Christmas Season time frame, evidenced by the numerous shots with lit trees, and decorations. As well, the grass is dead in most rural New York scenes, and actors' breath is clearly visible, once again suggesting late Autumn, or early winter.
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Quotes:
[first lines]
Arthur Edens: Michael. Dear Michael. Of course it's you, who else could they send, who else could be trusted? I... I know it's a long way and you're ready to go to work... all I'm saying is wait, just wait, just-just-just... please hear me out because this is not an episode, relapse, fuck-up, it's... I'm begging you Michael. I'm begging you. Try and make believe this is not just madness because this is not just madness. Two weeks ago I came out of the building, okay, I'm running across Sixth Avenue, there's a car waiting, I got exactly 38 minutes to get to the airport and I'm dictating. There's this, this panicked associate sprinting along beside me, scribbling in a notepad, and suddenly she starts screaming, and I realize we're standing in the middle of the street, the light's changed, there's this wall of traffic, serious traffic speeding towards us, and I... I-I freeze, I can't move, and I'm suddenly consumed with the overwhelming sensation that I'm covered with some sort of film. It's in my hair, my face... it's like a glaze... like a... a coating, and... at first I thought, oh my god, I know what this is, this is some sort of amniotic - embryonic - fluid. I'm drenched in afterbirth, I've-I've breached the chrysalis, I've been reborn. But then the traffic, the stampede, the cars, the trucks, the horns, the screaming and I'm thinking no-no-no-no, reset, this is not rebirth, this is some kind of giddy illusion of renewal that happens in the final moment before death. And then I realize no-no-no, this is completely wrong because I look back at the building and I had the most stunning moment of clarity. I... I... I... I realized Michael, that I had emerged not from the doors of Kenner, Bach, and Ledeen, not through the portals of our vast and powerful law firm, but from the asshole of an organism whose sole function is to excrete the... the-the-the poison, the ammo, the defoliant necessary for other, larger, more powerful organisms to destroy the miracle of humanity. And that I had been coated in this patina of shit for the best part of my life. The stench of it and the stain of it would in all likelihood take the rest of my life to undo. And you know what I did? I took a deep cleansing breath and I set that notion aside. I tabled it. I said to myself as clear as this may be, as potent a feeling as this is, as true a thing as I believe that I have witnessed today, it must wait. It must stand the test of time. And Michael, the time is now.
more
Arthur Edens: Michael. Dear Michael. Of course it's you, who else could they send, who else could be trusted? I... I know it's a long way and you're ready to go to work... all I'm saying is wait, just wait, just-just-just... please hear me out because this is not an episode, relapse, fuck-up, it's... I'm begging you Michael. I'm begging you. Try and make believe this is not just madness because this is not just madness. Two weeks ago I came out of the building, okay, I'm running across Sixth Avenue, there's a car waiting, I got exactly 38 minutes to get to the airport and I'm dictating. There's this, this panicked associate sprinting along beside me, scribbling in a notepad, and suddenly she starts screaming, and I realize we're standing in the middle of the street, the light's changed, there's this wall of traffic, serious traffic speeding towards us, and I... I-I freeze, I can't move, and I'm suddenly consumed with the overwhelming sensation that I'm covered with some sort of film. It's in my hair, my face... it's like a glaze... like a... a coating, and... at first I thought, oh my god, I know what this is, this is some sort of amniotic - embryonic - fluid. I'm drenched in afterbirth, I've-I've breached the chrysalis, I've been reborn. But then the traffic, the stampede, the cars, the trucks, the horns, the screaming and I'm thinking no-no-no-no, reset, this is not rebirth, this is some kind of giddy illusion of renewal that happens in the final moment before death. And then I realize no-no-no, this is completely wrong because I look back at the building and I had the most stunning moment of clarity. I... I... I... I realized Michael, that I had emerged not from the doors of Kenner, Bach, and Ledeen, not through the portals of our vast and powerful law firm, but from the asshole of an organism whose sole function is to excrete the... the-the-the poison, the ammo, the defoliant necessary for other, larger, more powerful organisms to destroy the miracle of humanity. And that I had been coated in this patina of shit for the best part of my life. The stench of it and the stain of it would in all likelihood take the rest of my life to undo. And you know what I did? I took a deep cleansing breath and I set that notion aside. I tabled it. I said to myself as clear as this may be, as potent a feeling as this is, as true a thing as I believe that I have witnessed today, it must wait. It must stand the test of time. And Michael, the time is now.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2008) (TV)
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Soundtrack:
The Thought of You
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FAQ
What's the point of the bar? What happened?What is a fixer? What is Michael Clayton's job?
What crime did Karen implicate herself in?
more
more (323 total)
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Saw this at a screening at the Toronto Int'l Film Festival.
This movie is appropriately titled "Michael Clayton" because in it we are introduced to the man in his many life roles; father, ex-husband, brother, son, friend and businessman. Some things he's good at, others not so much.
Terry Gilroy's debut directing showed a controlled and restrained hand, allowing the multi-tracked storyline to expand and grow, but always with a pull back to the core. For a fairly busy plot with numerous sub-characters, he did a good job of turning over pieces of the puzzle to bring the audience back full circle to the opening scene.
Michael Clayton fixes things, but we see in his own personal life there are a trail of problems he's dealing with. It's when he works alone that he seems to do his best work. Once those close to him come into his decision-making process, he lets emotions rule rather than his head.
George Clooney always seems to have a message in his movies, wanting us to be aware of the evil-doers out in the world. His boyish charm and general likability makes you root for him. We can relate to him.
Michael Clayton is a flawed individual who has good intentions but often gets beaten by the world and the people around him. Can't we all relate to that too? This was a satisfying suspense flick. Key to enjoying it is to pay attention.