Michael clayton is a 2007 american legal thriller film written and directed by tony gilroy in his feature directorial debut and starring george clooney, tom wilkinson, tilda swinton, and sydney pollack. The film cuts to a card game where we see michael clayton george clooney at the table with a handful of other men. Rent michael clayton 2007 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Clayton cleans up clients messes, handling anything from hitandruns and michael clayton george clooney is an inhouse fixer at one of the largest corporate law firms in new york. Ace on problem solving in the film michael clayton. Former prosecutor michael clayton george clooney works as a fixer at the corporate law firm of kenner, bach and ledeen, and takes care of his employers dirty work. The directing style and simplicity really attracts me to the film but mostly its the writing, the story, the well crafted narrative that. See the complete profile on linkedin and discover michaels. Its not a coincidence, i dont think, that the best moment in the whole film bar none, and its bestdirected moment, is an essentially dialoguefree scene in which a. The structure of the cinematography in junction with its perfect editing really help the movie flow even in its slower and dull moments.
The film received seven academy award nominations and johns editing was nominated for a bafta award and an american cinema editors eddie award. Michael rashard clayton born october, 1982 is a former american football wide receiver who played professionally in the national football league nfl. Film journal intl nominated for seven oscars, including best picture, director, actor, supporting actor, supporting actress and original screenplay. Director interview tony gilroy, michael clayton the seattle times. The film revolves around the eponymous main character george clooney, a fixer at a big new york law firm who is forced to question the path he has. Looking back on this stillyoung century makes clear that 2007 was a major time for cinematic happenings and, on the basis of this retrospective, one were not quite through with ten years on. Michael clayton director of soccer operations alliance.
But in michael clayton it comes off more like a fear that if the director does anything too imaginative, we might lose track of his wonderful story and wonderful language. Gilroys directorial debut was in 2007, when he directed the film michael clayton, which his brother john gilroy edited. George clooney portrays michael, backed into a career corner that offers little room to fight free in this suspense and starpacked thriller written and directed by tony gilroy writercowriter of the bourne movie trilogy. George clooney brings a slick, ruthless force to the title role of michael clayton, playing a fixer for a powerful law firm. Still, theres a refreshingly complex humanity about michael clayton, an engrossing, grishamesque legal thriller that manages to build tension and explore the ins and outs of its case without ever setting foot inside a courtroom. With his directorial debut michael clayton gilroy shifts his focus from international espionage to corporate duplicity and sinister legal machinations. What michael clayton warned us about 2017 the atlantic. Sep 11, 2018 in honor of writer director tony gilroys birthday, we take a look at two scenes from the awardwinning michael clayton to how much was revised from gilroys original screenplay. The film revolves around the eponymous main character george clooney, a fixer at a big new york law firm who is forced to question the path he has taken in life when his companys most brilliant. Gilroy says the film, which finds clayton unsuccessfully trying to rein in a rogue colleague tom wilkinson attempting to go public with damning. Or at least, the way certain masters of the universe do, as they prowl the jungle in.
Michael clayton marks his debut as a director, a gig that seems to have. In michael clayton, written and directed by tony gilroy, that. Jan 30, 2017 the final third act of the film is michael trying to right all of the wrongs that he has made in both his professional and personal life. Lawyers and corporate executives use increasingly devious and illegal methods to cover up previous wrongdoing. The final third act of the film is michael trying to right all of the wrongs that he has made in both his professional and personal life. Clayton cleans up clients messes, handling anything from hitandruns and damaging stories in the press to. In michael clayton, the film actually begins close to the end of the story, and then loops back around on itself, to tell the whole story, returning to the same point where it began, and then continuing on. Michael clayton is a film directed by tony gilroy with george clooney, tom wilkinson, tilda swinton, sydney pollack, year. As a firsttime director, his taste runs toward the classical style and not.
Oct 05, 2007 dark in color, mood and outraged worldview, michael clayton is a film that speaks to the way we live now. Michael clayton production manager citizen pictures. Michael clayton film wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Hollywoods passion for hammering sinister corporations and the unscrupulous lawyers who defend them has spawned numerous films. Bill murray at an event for michael clayton 2007 tilda swinton at an event for. Compared to the bourne movies, gilroys debut film as director is a distinct change of pace. The film chronicles the attempts by attorney michael clayton to cope with a colleagues apparent mental breakdown and the corruption and. George clooney and tony gilroy are fans of that film. Clayton is a conflicted man propelled by his ideals in a profession centered around money.
Director tony gilroy succeeds not only in capturing the audiences attention, but holding it until the credits roll. Michael clayton promotional film poster directed by tony gilroy produced by sydney pollacksteven samuelsjennifer foxkerry orent written by tony gilroy starring george clooneytom wilkinsontilda swintonsydney pollack music by james newton howard cinematography robert elswit edited by john gilroy productioncompany samuels mediacastle rock. The scene where michael boards a private jet was filmed at stewart international airport in newburgh, ny. Though he won a permanent spot in the hearts of 10yearold girls everywhere by penning the early 90s tween romance favorite the cutting edge, screenwriter tony gilroy is best known as the scribe behind matt damons bourne franchise. The player says he won a whole bunch of money off clayton. Michael clayton is a 2007 american legal thriller film written and directed by tony gilroy and starring george clooney, tom wilkinson, tilda swinton, and sydney pollack. Director interview tony gilroy, michael clayton the. Michael clayton george clooney is an inhouse fixer at one of the largest corporate law firms in new york. Though nearly forty before directing his first feature, clayton had a solid professional grounding as associate producer.
The enduring exhaustion of michael clayton 14 december 2017. Michael clayton is the directorial debut of tony gilroy, a longtime hollywood screenwriter, who crafts a film that manages to keep you involved like a good thriller without providing many of the requisite elements. Director tony gilroy poses after the press conference of his film michael clayton during the 64th venice film festival at palazzo del casino in venice, italy, 31 august 2007. Kinda nitpicking though, its otherwise a super dynamic and tightly written film. The very first scene is a banger and it never really lets up from there.
George clooney tom wilkinson tilda swinton sydney pollack michael okeefe robert prescott denis ohare julie white austin williams jennifer van dyck frank wood amy hargreaves rachel black merritt wever susan pellegrino katherine waterston heidi armbruster pamela gray bill raymond david. At the behest of the firms cofounder marty bach, clayton, a former prosecutor. A law firm brings in its fixer to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multibilliondollar class action suit. Burned out and deep in debt, he is bound tightly to the firm. The film chronicles the attempts by attorney michael clayton to cope with a colleagues apparent mental breakdown and the corruption and intrigue surrounding a major client of his law firm. Gilroy, one of the writers on the bourne identity and its two sequels and making his directorial debut with michael clayton, says such belowtheradar gobetweens exist in every. The film was nominated for seven academy awards, including best picture, best director and best actor.
Hubert boesl director tony gilroy poses after the press conference of his film michael clayton during the 64th venice film festival at palazzo del casino in. Michael clayton 2007 michael clayton george clooney, a highpricedlawfirms fixer, leaves a latenight poker game, gets a call to drive to westchester, and watches his car blow up as hes taking an impromptu dawn walk through a. Clayton graduated from washingtonville central high school in 1977. Sep 11, 2016 michael clayton is one of my personal favourite films.
He worked with his brother tony gilroy, a screenwriter and director, for the first time on tonys film michael clayton 2007. Dec 18, 2018 michael clayton is a 2007 american legal thriller film written and directed by tony gilroy and starring george clooney, tom wilkinson, tilda swinton, and sydney pollack. Tony gilroy was born in manhattan, new york, new york, usa. The film chronicles the attempts by attorney michael clayton to cope with a colleagues apparent. One client complains bitterly that he was told clayton was a miracle worker. Official page for michael clayton actor, artist, producer, director. He was drafted by the tampa bay buccaneers 15th overall in the 2004 nfl draft. New york film locations from the movie michael clayton starring george clooney. With george clooney, tilda swinton, tom wilkinson, michael okeefe.
Michael clayton the tortured path to redemption youtube. It clocks in at an even two hours which is the textbook length to an award winning script. With his directorial debut michael clayton gilroy shifts his focus from international espionage to corporate duplicity and sinister legal machinations, but. Jack claytons the innocents, in film comment new york, vol. Ill be frank, im not sure i like the way this is going. Michael clayton is a 2007 american legal thriller film written and directed by tony gilroy in his.
After my fourth watch in under a year, i think its safe to say that michael clayton is one of my new personal favorites. Driven by a screenplay that ranks among the finest in american film, tony gilroys film astounds at every turn each word, each scene resonating beyond their literal meanings. Gilroy, was a pulitzer prize winning playwright, director, and screenwriter. Michael clayton director tony gilroy filmmaker magazine. This film is one that has to be watched on a number of levels and really thought about for its. Watch michael clayton online stream full movie directv. Tightly plotted, expertly acted, michael clayton is a challenging, satisfying corporate thriller. Hilton new york 35 avenue of the americas, new york city, new york, usa. View the profiles of professionals named michael clayton on linkedin. Gilroy graduated from washingtonville high school in 1974. Dark in color, mood and outraged worldview, michael clayton is a film that speaks to the way we live now.
Jack clayton 1 march 1921 26 february 1995 was a british film director and producer who specialised in bringing literary works to the screen starting out as a teenage studio tea boy in 1935, clayton worked his way up through british film industry in a career that spanned nearly sixty years. Michael clayton is that most rare of movies, a smart, thoughtful thriller that takes its time. Michael clayton is pulsequickening entertainment for both the heart and mind. In addition to its edgar award, the film won one oscar, for best supporting actress tilda swinton. The movie was written and directed by tony gilroy, son of the. Michael clayton is a great film because underneath the stylishness, the performances, the dialogue, and the closedcircuit plotting, underneath everything that got it nominated for seven academy. Michael clayton 2007 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. John and tony later collaborated on duplicity 2009 and the bourne legacy. He tells clayton he knows him from a game they played some years back.
Director tony gilroy succeeds not only in capturing the audiences attention. Writerdirector tony gilroy, screenwriter on the three bourne thrillers, grabs our attention this way in his authoritative directorial debut michael clayton, with a succession of fascinating. Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career when a guiltridden attorney tom wilkinson has a breakdown during a huge classaction lawsuit. Michael clayton is one of the most sharply scripted films of 2007, with an engrossing premise and faultless acting. Oct 14, 2007 michael clayton is more of a screenwriters movie. Clayton is a conflicted man propelled by his ideals in. Naming the film after michael clayton is an indication that the story centers on his life. View michael claytons profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. Michael clayton is a 2007 film in which the titular character, a fixer at a major law firm, has to cope with a colleagues apparent mental breakdown and the mystery surrounding a classaction lawsuit. Michael clayton director tony gilroy film fest, and has since attained certified fresh status in limited. Michael clayton, actors tilda swinton, tom wilkinson duration. Michael clayton 2007 official trailer george clooney, tilda swinton movie hd a law firm brings in its fixer to remedy the situation after a.
Multiple links are listed since a different versions exist and b many scripts posted become unavailable over time. Writerdirector tony gilroy, screenwriter on the three bourne thrillers, grabs our attention this way in his authoritative directorial debut michael. Its hard to imagine a better lead for this characterdriven mystery than the classically charismatic george clooney. Michael clayton 2007 official trailer george clooney, tilda. Michael clayton, directorwriter tony gilroy duration. Consumerism repeated clips from a promotional film for the film s central fictional company, unorth. He works in the shadows, cleaning up messes, and he is a realist. The final shot of the film is michael clayton sitting a.
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