Review: Michael Clayton no Oscar material

IN AND AS: George Clooney plays the title character, a "fixer" at a high-power law firm.

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Cast: George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson

Director: Tony Gilroy

Sure we want intelligent films, and sure we're tired of those stupid, blockbuster action films where cars are blown up and suspicious aliens threaten to take over the world.

But Michael Clayton, nominated for seven Academy Awards this year, isn't my idea of a remarkable film. It's too long, too laborious and - let me stick my neck out really far now - it doesn't deserve to win Best Picture.

George Clooney plays the title character, a "fixer" at a high-power law firm who can make everyone's problems disappear - except of course his own. His life's a mess - he's broke, he's divorced and he's clearly burnt out.

Yet, it's him they come to when a star attorney at the firm - played by Tom Wilkinson - suffers what seems like a breakdown while defending a mega corporation from a high-profile lawsuit. It's upto Clooney to knock him back into line, but what happens next is what I suppose you could describe as the conflict in this film.

Michael Clayton is a film about greed, about responsibilities and about one's own conscience. It's an honourable film if you have the patience for it, it makes some interesting points if you care to listen.

But it goes about its business in a long-drawn-out, boring fashion that in the end it fails to connect. A film like Michael Clayton probably deserves a second viewing in order to fully appreciate its intention, but I'm sorry to say I don't have either the time or the energy or the desire to watch it all over again.

Because it's slow and takes its own sweet time to make its point, 'm going with two out of five and an average rating for director Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton, it's fine, just fine, but feel free to decide for yourself.

Rating: 2 / 5 (Average)