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The Miracle Worker

Chris Pandolfi | Los Angeles, CA | 10/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Michael Clayton" is a magnetic, engaging film, with a plot so intriguing that you find yourself absorbed within the first five minutes. Here's a story that can't be defined by a single genre; while it is above all a drama, so much more is being presented. Parts of it work like a thriller while other parts work like a social commentary, and these in turn make for a pseudo-morality play that requires a little extra observance on the audience's part. And that's a good thing, simply because not all stories should make everything clear. This film is intelligent, not only because the plot relies on strategic obscurity, but also because logical thinking is needed in order to understand it. This is not an escapist film--absolutely nothing will be hand delivered to us.

George Clooney plays the title character, and he gives Clayton a restrained yet powerful presence that was truly fascinating. This is no small task, considering the direction his life is going in: Clayton was once a highly respected trail lawyer, but his talent for negotiating has reduced him to take an unrecognized, poorly paid position. He basically does the dirty work for one of New York's most prestigious law firms, co-owned by Marty Bach (Sidney Pollack). Clayton cleans up legal messes by talking directly to plaintiffs and defendants and striking up deals. Clayton considers himself a janitor, a Mr. Fix-It, a miracle worker; he bends the rules in exactly the right ways to avoid exactly the right people. When it comes to other people's problems, he's the one everyone turns to.

But when it comes to his own problems, he needs a lot of help. A gambling addiction is established, as are financial problems--he owes quite a bit of money on a failing bar, which is co-owned by his drug-addicted brother, Timmy (David Lansbury). For obvious reasons, Clayton was forced to finance the business by himself, which required him to hock virtually every item he owned. On the bright side, he has a fairly good relationship with his son, Henry (Austin Williams), who greatly enjoys reading fantasy novels. Clayton drives Henry to school one morning, and on the way, Henry raves about the book he's reading, explaining each character's significance with childish zeal; Clayton listens, realizing that his son is actually giving an insightful description of life in general. It was a brief but wonderful scene proving how casual profound statements can seem.

The film's main focus is a legal dispute between Clayton's law firm and a chemical company (which happens to be Bach's most important client). Coming to its defense is Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton), a litigator whose career depends on negotiating a multimillion-dollar settlement. But this will not be so easy to accomplish; attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) complicates matters by interfering with the case. He believes that the chemical company is responsible for poisoning the population, and he claims to have the evidence to prove it. Because his conscience is guilt-ridden over keeping his mouth shut, he loses his rational state of mind, becoming a manic, paranoid, and seemingly incomprehensible wreck. A severe emotional spasm was caught on tape--while at work in Milwaukee, he stripped completely naked, after which he ran through the parking lot.

Thus begins a taut, suspenseful, and compelling quest for the truth. Part of the quest leads to the discovery of Anna (Merritt Wever), a young woman who lost some of her family to the chemical poisoning. For some bizarre reason, Edens feels responsible for her, and he shows this through incessant phone calls and cryptic messages. Clayton is initially unwilling to believe anything Edens has to say, simply because he's acting erratically. But as the film progresses, he begins to question himself. Could Edens have been on to something? Is it possible that his odd conversations were more than mere ramblings? Was he sane, after all? Unbeknownst to Clayton, getting the answers to these questions will mean endangering Edens' life.

Crowder, meanwhile, is busy on her own quest, which turns out to be more stressful than she anticipated. There are key shots in this film showing her in panic mode: she hyperventilates in a hotel bathroom, her hands shaking, her armpits soaked with sweat. There are also moments of her standing in front of a mirror, practicing her speeches; most of these shots are inter-cut with actual meetings, in which a subtle yet significant lack of confidence undermines her delivery. Swinton made this character her own, turning Crowder into one of the film's most fascinating characters. A quiet desperation is visible on her face, and it's obvious that she's trying to hide it. She wants to be a professional: shrewd, capable, and strong-willed, unwilling to back down from a challenge.

The fact that I can gather this much from so few characters is a good sign. A clear, specific level of character development is vital for a film like "Michael Clayton," especially since the genre spectrum is broad. Well-defined characters make for a much more engrossing story; thank goodness this film includes a number of them. And despite what some people say, a complicated plot is not necessarily a deterrent. This film proves that some stories need to be richly detailed, if not for clarity, then for establishing the climactic finish. The ending of "Michael Clayton" is one of the year's most satisfying, a perfect blend of deception and emotional resolution. That alone makes the film worth recommending."