Michael Clayton

I just watched the movie tonight after months of trying. I loved it. Fast paced, intrigue and wonderful performances. I was watching the deleted scenes and the one with his female companion should not have been deleted. It was the clearest piece showing the conflict between his job and his ego. When it was clear he didn't know about the merger after working at the firm for 17 years, he shows off all the dirt he does know by spilling the beans about one of his Fixes.... just to appear more important and in the know to his girl. How basic is that. It makes the confidentiality section at the end of the movie more powerful. It makes Michael more understandable. He got into the situation and he can't get out. He is only valuable if he does what everyone wants but since he is the fixer, he can't be accepted into the club. He is almost an enemy.

As brilliant as George was, T. Swinton, was amazing. She deserved the OSCAR.

Of course it gets you thinking. I am a lawyer and people ask me all the time how do you represent people who don't believe in. I guess the answer, is most of the time, there is something redeemable and defensible about every one. Everyone seems to skirt the rules, the ethics, the expectations of society. My daughter used her cell phone before the final bell to have a girl add her phone number to the phone. All phones are to be off during school hours. She broke the rule, but I was the bad guy because i took the phone for 24 hours (since I had to leave work early and get to school before the office closed to get it) Her classmate that pointed out the infraction to the teacher was a jerk. All because she thinks it is a stupid rule. We run lights and justify it because we are in a hurry. Take the extra change because it wasn't our mistake. We lie when we don't ant to talk to someone. In this movie,Arthur meets a Plaintiff that compels him to question his life's work. He calls her a miracle. When Michael met her , he could not believe she had not told anyone about what Aurthur found about the Defendants lawsuit. He was incredulous. She had shared with no one. Why? She promised.

And he was shocked. A promise meant something.

It was a great movie. We should all try to show character in the little opportunities. It is when we are really judged. Few of us would commit murder, rob someone, steal from our bosses. But in the little decisions, we often fail. What would happen if everyone expected the best and got it, instead of assuming everyone falls short.