MICHAEL CLAYTON. Dir. Tony Gilroy. 2007

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Clooney is mesmerizing as smooth, smart fixer for a large corporate law firm in New York. He’s brought in to tidy up the mess when friend Arthur (Tom Wilkinson) appears to have a breakdown whilst working on a lengthy compensation case for an agro-chemical corporation.

The case stinks; small farmers and their families have been poisoned by the company’s carcinogenic weed killer, and Arthur switches sides. He’s up against Karen (Tilda Swinton), ruthless boss of the agrochemical company.

There are no caricatures and no clichés in this cracking, believable, suspense movie. It’s a fine character study of Clayton, who operates alone using an extensive network of legal contacts. Cool and adept on the job, he is distracted and inattentive when he’s with his bright and thoughtful son, and the boy provides a nice counterbalance to Clayton’s worldly effectiveness.

Wilkinson is on superb form as a clever lawyer, suffering from mental health problems and overcome with guilt. The hit men are clinically efficient and, despite the two corporations being morally indefensible, the focus on individuals maintains realism without amping up emotional drama.

Gilroy’s script is spot on: intelligent, suspenseful and compelling, with an open minded, straightforward attitude towards mental illness. Direction is perfectly paced and strong performances are convincing throughout. Definitely one to watch again, could even become a classic, and a stylish follow up to the Bourne trilogy from Tony Gilroy.

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