Michael Clayton

British actor Tom Wilkinson stars with George Clooney in this fast paced thriller. And Tom Wilkinson is excellent. The movie has an interesting (if initially confusing) structure. I don't want to give much away but suffice it to say that George plays a legal firm's Mr Fixit - he no longer appears at trials but solves problems. As the film begins the law firm seems to be at the point of settling a claim that has been dragging on for almost a decade, involving a global pharmaceutical company. George is called to resolve a 'difficulty' (in the shape of a hit and run driver wanting a way out) - he's at a card game when the call arrives. Shortly afterwards something very surprising happens, and then the film goes back four days to show how we arrived at that point. Tom Wilkinson's character is a manic depressive who is representing the pharmaceutical company at a deposition when he gets a blinding revelation that he's backing the wrong horse. Dramatically he takes off all his clothes (whilst being filmed by the plaintiff's lawyers) and dances around the car park. The two central characters are excellent in this film, and there is terrific support from the acting team. There is suspense, surprises, thrills, twists and turns and good finally triumphs over evil. George is on his usual propaganda kick to some extent, but it is fairly understated, and this film does prove that movies can still be good without graphic violence or bad language. Good film - rating 8/10