MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007)

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""I'm not the guy you kill. I'm the guy you buy! Are you so fucking blind that you don't even see what I am?" "

This movie was great. I am just gonna say it. This movie was awesome. I happen to enjoy thrillers, with smart witty dialogue, and suits, and ties, and conspiracies. So what. Sue me.

This was easily one of 07's best.

It opens with the stories title character, leaving a gambling place, on his way to a client, who then, upon leaving, suddenly has a feeling to stop, and get out of his car. He walks off onto a hill, and stands by these hoses out of no where. Then BOOM!!! His car explodes. Petty random, huh? Well its not.

The story revolves around a man, Michael Clayton (George Clooney) who is a "janitor". A bag man, who cleans up messes for his law firm, or people who are with it. He's 45 years old and broke. He is paying off his bothers 80 thousand dollar debt, and his life has little meaning to it. He's a former gambler, and a busy worker, but has a son, and a family, (not a wife.)

However, one day, his life is scrambled, when his close friend and colleague, Arthur (Tom Wilkinson), strips down in front of a meeting, and chases people around the garage, in the middle of a snow storm. It turns out Arthur is off his meds, and that seems to be the obvious case for his behavior. Or is there something more. This movie is hard to right a review about without giving away too much. I will say that it has not a lot of twists and turns, but a lot of story and character.

Tilda Swinton is Karen Crowder, the evil woman behind all this, and is the General Counselor for U-North. She does a great job of acting like a real stuck up bitch, without knowing she's a bitch.

Sydney Pollack plays Michael and Arthur's boss, and head of the firm, Marty Bach. At first I thought Alan Arken seemed better, but I am more than glad Sydney got the role.

Tom Wilkinson is the real actor in this movie with great emotions and it plays greatly along his face and his actions.

George Clooney plays the lead man. With Clooney to me, it's hit or miss, mostly hit lately, and this is one of those times. His character is hard to lay and he really does it well, being a family man, but a lone, a compassionate guy (like paying his bothers bill) but being a hard hearted guy, like not showing it.

Tony Gilroy, who wrote films like "Armageddon", "Devils Advocate", and the "Bourne" trilogy; still has it. As his directional debut, he doesn't do half bad, and as for writing, he really does have some kick ass lines. I look forward to his next film, "Duplicity."

This movie isn't for everyone. A lot of people I know didn't like it. I did. But if you like it, you will like it a lot. If not, then you won't. Just give it a chance.