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| Rod |
 Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:50 am |
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Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 2944
Location: Lithgow, Australia
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Michael Clayton…
…is beautifully made and acted with commitment and passion by its cast. It’s a crackerjack thriller. Tony Gilroy’s intense, icy airbrush of artistry helps, not hinders, the machinery of the thriller arc. Some of his touches, like the time-bending structure and the montages of Tilda Swinton’s rehearsals and performances, made me uneasy at first, but they proved well-judged aspects of the film’s texture. George Clooney’s as good as he’s ever been, and I loved Tilda Swinton’s octopoidal characterisation. I’ve liked Tom Wilkinson far more in other parts, but his judgment and skill made his role seem real where some other weathered hams would have stunk the film up. But the film is also clichéd and predictable – I’ve seen two variations on this plot in TV shows in the past month. Nor did I think, despite Clooney and Co’s solid liberal status, that the film, whilst far from being unbelievable, ever went beyond standard good vs. evil stuff, or had much of relevance or originality or vitality to say about corporate malfeasance and malpractice. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room will tell you far, far more about the corrupt, unfeeling self-satisfaction of corporations than this film’s portrait of Big Business and Big Law. In its way, this is a sort of fantasy wish-fulfilment of how suit-and-jacket sharks wished their realm worked - but most of them aren't this good at their jobs. So the film's message picture aspect is irrelevant - it's a razor-sharp genre film where the goodies do right, the hero finds redemption, and the baddies get it straight no chaser. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:17 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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Strongly disagree with Rod on the merits of Michael Clayton. It avoids one monumental cliche--brilliantly. Tilda Swinton's layered performance completely wipes away the memories of Faye Dunaway in Network and Demi Moore in Disclosure, as well as many other screen bitches who come off like misogynist nightmare wet dreams.
In addition, the plot is not as black and white as Rod would have you think. It considers both sides of the situation and makes the case for both sides. Of course it doesn't come down on the side of murder. Duh.
Where I do agree is that Wilkinson has been better in other films. But he also avoids cliches and makes the character believable, no mean feat.
I thought the Enron movie was a huge load of cliches, btw, and a wildly overrated documentary. |
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| Rod |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:02 am |
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Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 2944
Location: Lithgow, Australia
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billyweeds wrote: In addition, the plot is not as black and white as Rod would have you think. It considers both sides of the situation and makes the case for both sides. Of course it doesn't come down on the side of murder. Duh.
WTF? It doesn't make a case momentarily for the "other side". It doesn't engage at all with the "other side" other than that they're protecting their asses/money. You're making that up. What a lot of horseshit.
And whilst not a great a documentary, I was using E:TSGITR for an example of true, as opposed to Hollywood, corporate skullduggery. |
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| tirebiter |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:08 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Michael Clayton Spoilers
What I liked best about the Swinton character was that I completely understood her motives and her decision to remove this last obstacle to her company's-- and her--success. Just one little sin, and it's all taken care of. Her "rehearsals" were a window to her completely facile character: what will play the best in this situation? Whatever it is, I'll be it, I'll do it. It's clearly worked for her so far, and she actually comes off as personable and likeable in her public appearances. Ballsy, but nice underneath. That it's a carefully-sculpted construct would never occur to anyone in the audience.
She better get an OscarTM out of this, or I'll hold my breath 'til I get my way. It won't be pretty. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:45 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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Rod wrote: billyweeds wrote: In addition, the plot is not as black and white as Rod would have you think. It considers both sides of the situation and makes the case for both sides. Of course it doesn't come down on the side of murder. Duh.
WTF? It doesn't make a case momentarily for the "other side". It doesn't engage at all with the "other side" other than that they're protecting their asses/money. You're making that up. What a lot of horseshit.
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You're more sensitive than I thought, Rod. I was referring to the not-unsympathetic view given to the Sydney Pollack character. We can understand the reasons for trying to protect the situation. I clearly stated that those ends did not justify the means. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:46 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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tirebiter wrote:
She better get an OscarTM out of this, or I'll hold my breath 'til I get my way. It won't be pretty.
I'm right there with ya. But don't count on it by a long shot. Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan has the way more likely inside track. And though I haven't yet seen Blanchett's no-doubt-fascinating characterization, she already has her Oscar and Swinton deserves regognition. |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 10:38 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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I'm pretty much with Rod with this: Michael Clayton was well-done, entertaining - but it wasn't a great film.
Rod wrote: In its way, this is a sort of fantasy wish-fulfilment of how suit-and-jacket sharks wished their realm worked - but most of them aren't this good at their jobs.
Yes, yes, yes. I've spent a good part of my working life at firms which sometimes dance at the edge of malfeasance (bleh), and real high-level types aren't usually corporate automatons doing everything perfectly (although there is an element of that). They're much more chess players (or poker players, whichever comparison you prefer) in the game of their lives. Twilda Swinton's character seemed more driven by checking the boxes and leaving no stone unturned, and she suddenly came across a complex 'situation' she had to handle. I know the story presented as her sweating because it was a murder, but I got more of an impression that she was sweating because she'd rarely / never had to handle something more complicated than showing up and saying the right thing. And at that point in her career she should have been able to blow off the pressure a little better - she didn't get that high by being 'human.'
Personally, I think that Raise the Red Lantern is far closer to an accurate description of corporate shenanigans...
I also didn't see the 'alternative possibility' (i.e., the mob connection) as very strongly presented - it never made sense that that would be the underlying story.
While I do think it was well-made, for sheer storytelling power I'd put The Assassination of Jesse James ahead of MC.
Just me, but that's what I thought. Although seeing it in an Art Deco theatre was quite enjoyable. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 10:52 am |
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| lady wakasa--Actually the Swinton character was sweating long, long before the situation developed. She was sweating in the very first scene, before Wilkinson made the important statements. |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:02 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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billyweeds wrote: lady wakasa--Actually the Swinton character was sweating long, long before the situation developed. She was sweating in the very first scene, before Wilkinson made the important statements.
Right - although the case itself had already started at that point. I guess my point is more that at that point in her career, she should have been a little more hardened. (Althuogh I thought the sweating in the bathroom scene was shown twice, one as a flashback of the other.) |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:06 am |
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| The sweating was a major component in the development of the Swinton character and why she was deeper and more layered than, say, Demi Moore in Disclosure, a perfect example of the kind of person you're describing. Swinton simply wasn't to the manner born and she knew it. She had to sweat it every inch of the way. |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:25 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Yeah, but I just don't see her getting that far in her career without someone picking up on that weakness and doing a political end run around her.
I know this is a movie and all, but there's somewhat of a presumption that she got there on competence alone (and by herself - without any allies) and it doesn't work that way. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:43 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: NYC
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| Well, I loved "Michael Clayton" and while all the criticisms may have merit, the fact is that a more complex plot would probably have put off a lot of moviegoers. The sinister aspects of corporations and their lawyers should get more attention in the media, and I thought this was a very enjoyable and believable way to present the situation. |
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| bart |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:58 am |
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Joined: 05 Dec 2005
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I've never seen so many postings on the important role of sweating in a film performance. I'm going to start watching armpits more carefully so that I don't miss these nuances.
Swinton did a fine perf as a finger-licker (testing the wind direction) who ends up way out of her depth. |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:05 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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bart wrote: I'm going to start watching armpits more carefully so that I don't miss these nuances.
You should read the armpit hair posts about Lust, Caution on imdb, then... |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:16 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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National Board of Review winners:
Best Picture: No Country for Old Men
Best Actor: George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Best Actress: Julie Christie, Away from Her
Best Supporting Actor: Casey Affleck, Jesse James etc.
Best Supporting Actress, Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Best Original Screenplay (tie): Juno and Lars and the Real Girl
Best Adapted Screenplay: No Country for Old Men
Best Director: Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd |
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