Michael Clayton (2007)
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A legal fixer must navigate a web of corporate secrets and a deadly conspiracy after a colleague's erratic behavior exposes a massive cover-up.
The story
Michael Clayton is a 'fixer' for the prestigious Kenner, Bach, and Ledeen law firm in New York City. The narrative begins when Michael is dispatched to manage a crisis involving Arthur Edens, a top litigator who suffers a public breakdown during a high-stakes deposition involving an agricultural conglomerate. This outburst jeopardizes the firm's defense in a massive class-action lawsuit. As Michael attempts to stabilize the situation and manage the fallout of Edens' actions, he becomes entangled in the murky ethics of corporate law and the dangerous consequences of corporate secrets that the firm is desperate to keep hidden.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Michael Clayton, a legal 'fixer' in New York City, is tasked with managing the fallout of a public breakdown by Arthur Edens, a litigator for the firm Kenner, Bach, and Ledeen. Edens' outburst during a deposition regarding a toxic weedkiller used by U-North puts the firm's position in jeopardy. After Edens is murdered by operatives and staged as a suicide, Michael becomes suspicious of the official narrative. He discovers that Edens had prepared to go public with evidence of the company's negligence. After being briefly detained by police, Michael is released and eventually accepts a lucrative deal from his firm's managing partner to remain silent. However, he later confronts the general counsel of U-North, and in a final move, he records her admission of a settlement offer, leading to her arrest by the authorities.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tony Gilroy
- Writers
- Tony Gilroy · writer
- Cast and characters
- George Clooney · Michael Clayton; Tom Wilkinson; Tilda Swinton; Sydney Pollack
- Genres
- legal thriller; psychological thriller; crime thriller; crime drama
- Themes
- corporate corruption; legal ethics; moral ambiguity
- Tone and mood
- suspenseful; melodramatic
- Setting
- New York City, Westchester County, and Milwaukee.
- Premise and plot tags
- legal drama; corporate conspiracy; whistleblower
- Reception
- The film was praised for its direction, screenplay, and cast performances, particularly Tilda Swinton's. It received 'universal acclaim' from critics and was featured on numerous 'best of' lists for its script and performances.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 90% · review count: 205; Metacritic · score: 82 · scale: 100 · review count: 36
- Production trivia
- Denzel Washington was offered the lead role but turned it down.; The film was included in the WGA's 101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century.; The film was included on the Times 2012 list of 10 memorable ending scenes.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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