When I was young, my parents would go out every now and then to a movie. My sister and I would beg to go to the movies, too, but were told that whatever they were seeing wasn’t a movie for kids – films like “Sophie’s Choice” or “Body Double,” I suppose. Whatever they saw, the films were going to have adult themes and story-lines and, aside from needing a night out to themselves, the films would go over our heads and likely also bore us to tears.

“Michael Clayton” is exactly the type of movie that parents go to and kids shouldn’t see. There isn’t anything in the film that is offensive – a handful of bad words and a very quick and quiet murder – but it deals with messy things happening in the adult world to adults.

Michael Clayton is a fixer for a high-powered law firm. When an attorney representing the defense for a large corporation goes crazy and starts to help out the plaintiffs who were allegedly poisoned by the company, Clayton, played by George Clooney without a touch of the Danny Ocean swagger, is called in. His bosses want him to rein in the crazy attorney and assure the company that all is well, but things just keep getting worse and the problems continue to escalate, mostly thanks to a panicking corporate attorney for the company. In addition to the problems Clayton is having professionally, he is stuck with his brother’s debt to some unseemly characters and tensions are high with his extended family.

“Michael Clayton” is all about tension and director Tony Gilroy keeps ratcheting it up. Things happen quickly – all within the span of a week or so – and it just seems like one more seedy story taking place in the buildings and streets of the city, something that is likely going on around us right now. Gilroy shoots the film simply, by which I mean, there isn’t a lot of flashy technique in the film. A lot of the focus is on the weariness of Clayton’s eyes as he is once again called in to clean up someone’s mess and Clooney delivers a solid performance, showcasing his versatility and reminding the viewer why he seems to be an Oscar nominee so often.

There are other great performances as well, especially from Tilda Swinton as the corporate lawyer scurrying to keep her employer from going under and Tom Wilkinson as the lawyer who has seen the light and wants to shine it on the dark underbelly of his client.

“Michael Clayton” was the final film I had to see in order to see all of the Best Picture Oscar nominees this year, and I would rank it fourth or fifth behind “There Will Be Blood,” “Atonement” and “Juno” – in that order – but it is very worthy of its nomination and definitely worth a viewing ... by adults who appreciate good movies.

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