Synopses & Reviews
The official screenplay book tie-in to the hit thriller from Warner Bros., starring Academy Award(R) winner George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, and Sydney Pollack, and written and directed by Tony Gilroy (
The Bourne Identity and
The Bourne Supremacy).
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house fixer at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen's dirtiest work at the behest of the firm's co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). Though burned out and hardly content with his job, his divorce, a failed business venture, and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. At the agrichemical company U/North, meanwhile, the career of in-house counsel Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) rests on the multimillion-dollar settlement of a class action suit that Clayton's firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. But when Kenner Bach's brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) sabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life.
The Newmarket Shooting Script(R) book includes the complete script, an exclusive foreword by William Goldman, a Q&A with writer/director Tony Gilroy, a color photo section, and the complete cast and crew credits.
Review
"When critics complain about the dumbing down of movies into franchise popcorn, what we're really doing is yearning for a terrifically engrossing, tethered-to-the-real-world drama like Michael Clayton. It's better than good: it's such a crackling and mature and accomplished movie that it just about restores your faith." Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Review
"This is unequivocally a thriller for adults. A deftly written, tautly suspenseful and intellectually demanding morality tale, it stays a step ahead of the audience and features multidimensional characters played by actors at the top of their games." Claudia Puig, USA Today
Review
"After what must seem like a lifetime of writing screenplays for other people to direct, Tony Gilroy has come out from behind the curtain. With the George Clooney-starring Michael Clayton, he's not only saved his best script for himself, he's also turned out a smart and suspenseful legal thriller that comes completely alive on-screen." Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
About the Author
Tony Gilroy makes his directorial debut with Michael Clayton. He is the acclaimed screenwriter of The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, Dolores Claiborne, The Devil's Advocate, and Armageddon, among other films.