I'm probably one of the last commentators to make an entry for this movie. But I was just struck today with how well this movie "wears" for me. It's been in first run release for about 3 or 4 weeks now, during which time I've seen it 3 or 4 times. And I'll probably see it some more.
The acting is great, the cinematography is great, the storyline and scripting great ... but what really make this movie for me is the interconnected storylining.
Stories seem to be given to us at three levels: the personal story, the professional story, and what might be called the miracle story, or the story of the X-Factor.
So we have Michael Clayton's personal story, interconnected with Michael Clayton's professional story, interconnected with the personal and professional stories of Tom Wilkinson's Arthur, and the personal and professional stories of Tilda Swinton's Karen. Then the story of the child, Austin Williams' Henry, and the extraordinary story of Realm & Conquest. The latter captivates Henry, and the manic Arthur, and introduces us to what might be called yet another storyline, the Story of the "X Factor" - a transcendent, extraordinary, beyond-this-world window through which Arthur gazes to organize his world, just as Henry does as well. This is a world in which Miracles are alluded to seriously, as we gradually work our way through the movie, pacing our way through the personal and professional stories swirling around our main characters, finally arriving at the extraordinary scene in which the X-Factor seems to overtake and demand the attention of Michael Clayton: the much-discussed scene with Michael and the three horses.
I have to admit that the Director Tony Gilroy gives what is probably the most authoritative explanation for the horses. See http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34448. Basically he says Clayton had had a long past few days and saw these three horses and went up to see them to chill out a bit. Maybe. But this doesn't account for an implausibly coincidental series of linkages between this scene, and the picture of horses in the Realm & Conquest book, allusions to horses elsewhere in the movie, and most saliently the (yes) miraculous manner in which Michael Clayton survives a murder attempt: for if he hadn't stopped his car to approach these 3 horses, he would have been blown up in his car. This is the X-Factor. This is the Miraculous appearing suddenly and unexpectedly and changing Michael Clayton's life as it changes the lives of others.
What follows, I'm sorry to say, is one of the more implausible scenes in the movie: Clayton throws his i.d. into his burning car, and is then reported as having been killed in the car ... even though the police surely would find that there's no body in the car.
All in all, though, this amazing movie delivers a beautiful, gripping, compelling set of stories, all centered, of course, on the person of Michael Clayton.
George Clooney's Michael Clayton is brilliantly acted, a real tour de force. The final scene, in the cab with the credits, is worth staying for and gives an absolutely extraordinary look at Clooney's ability to act by facial expressions alone, as his Michael Clayton lurches through the streets, looking this way and that, decompressing, wondering, reflecting, fearing, wondering.
Tom Wilkinson plays Arthur authoritatively, portraying a manic-depressive with convincing precision, and giving us a look at the powerful lawyer as well that is all the more extraordinary for being played in a scene with an armful of bread as a prop.
Tilda Swinton's Karen is really amazing - she gives us confidence, with harrowing looks at the anxiety-ridden person underneath the professional persona.
Austin Williams really does a splendid job as the youngster Henry, and I'm hoping we'll see some more of this fine young actor in the future.
And Sydney Pollack's Marty is a very convincing portrait, rounding out a cast giving us great supporting roles.
This is a very dark movie, with lots of night-time shooting, and even the daytime shots tend to be dark or look like they are begging to be done under cloak of darkness. Especially striking for me are the visuals of a cold, dark city, with blinking lights and civic mechanisms (traffic, cabs, phones, etc) everywhere. There are lots of shots either through windows or in reflections on windows. Lots of indirect lighting, seeming to undergird the indirectness of so much that happens in this movie.
All in all, I think anyone who likes great story-telling, intricate plotwork, well-depicted characterization, great acting, and splendid cinematography will very much enjoy this amazing movie.
Charles Delacroix
The acting is great, the cinematography is great, the storyline and scripting great ... but what really make this movie for me is the interconnected storylining.
Stories seem to be given to us at three levels: the personal story, the professional story, and what might be called the miracle story, or the story of the X-Factor.
So we have Michael Clayton's personal story, interconnected with Michael Clayton's professional story, interconnected with the personal and professional stories of Tom Wilkinson's Arthur, and the personal and professional stories of Tilda Swinton's Karen. Then the story of the child, Austin Williams' Henry, and the extraordinary story of Realm & Conquest. The latter captivates Henry, and the manic Arthur, and introduces us to what might be called yet another storyline, the Story of the "X Factor" - a transcendent, extraordinary, beyond-this-world window through which Arthur gazes to organize his world, just as Henry does as well. This is a world in which Miracles are alluded to seriously, as we gradually work our way through the movie, pacing our way through the personal and professional stories swirling around our main characters, finally arriving at the extraordinary scene in which the X-Factor seems to overtake and demand the attention of Michael Clayton: the much-discussed scene with Michael and the three horses.
I have to admit that the Director Tony Gilroy gives what is probably the most authoritative explanation for the horses. See http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34448. Basically he says Clayton had had a long past few days and saw these three horses and went up to see them to chill out a bit. Maybe. But this doesn't account for an implausibly coincidental series of linkages between this scene, and the picture of horses in the Realm & Conquest book, allusions to horses elsewhere in the movie, and most saliently the (yes) miraculous manner in which Michael Clayton survives a murder attempt: for if he hadn't stopped his car to approach these 3 horses, he would have been blown up in his car. This is the X-Factor. This is the Miraculous appearing suddenly and unexpectedly and changing Michael Clayton's life as it changes the lives of others.
What follows, I'm sorry to say, is one of the more implausible scenes in the movie: Clayton throws his i.d. into his burning car, and is then reported as having been killed in the car ... even though the police surely would find that there's no body in the car.
All in all, though, this amazing movie delivers a beautiful, gripping, compelling set of stories, all centered, of course, on the person of Michael Clayton.
George Clooney's Michael Clayton is brilliantly acted, a real tour de force. The final scene, in the cab with the credits, is worth staying for and gives an absolutely extraordinary look at Clooney's ability to act by facial expressions alone, as his Michael Clayton lurches through the streets, looking this way and that, decompressing, wondering, reflecting, fearing, wondering.
Tom Wilkinson plays Arthur authoritatively, portraying a manic-depressive with convincing precision, and giving us a look at the powerful lawyer as well that is all the more extraordinary for being played in a scene with an armful of bread as a prop.
Tilda Swinton's Karen is really amazing - she gives us confidence, with harrowing looks at the anxiety-ridden person underneath the professional persona.
Austin Williams really does a splendid job as the youngster Henry, and I'm hoping we'll see some more of this fine young actor in the future.
And Sydney Pollack's Marty is a very convincing portrait, rounding out a cast giving us great supporting roles.
This is a very dark movie, with lots of night-time shooting, and even the daytime shots tend to be dark or look like they are begging to be done under cloak of darkness. Especially striking for me are the visuals of a cold, dark city, with blinking lights and civic mechanisms (traffic, cabs, phones, etc) everywhere. There are lots of shots either through windows or in reflections on windows. Lots of indirect lighting, seeming to undergird the indirectness of so much that happens in this movie.
All in all, I think anyone who likes great story-telling, intricate plotwork, well-depicted characterization, great acting, and splendid cinematography will very much enjoy this amazing movie.
Charles Delacroix