Thriller & Mystery > Gilroy, Tony Thriller & Mystery

Intrigue and Industry

Advantages: Some great performances and a strong script.
Disadvantages: Perhaps too convoluted for some.

Michael Clayton is a "fixer" at a New York law firm, who does all the dirty work to get his company and its clients out of sticky situations. But when the brilliant but guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens goes into emotional meltdown during a multi-million dollar lawsuit, Clayton faces his most dangerous and difficult predicament. It pits him against his colleagues and the formidable litigator Karen Crowder, all of whom are willing to sacrifice him ...
...break with reality unfolds, showing Michael what he has the potential to become. But the morality of the main protagonist is never fixed or clear. We know that Clayton is devious and more than capable of double-dealing, but we also know that he has hopes and dreams beyond his current situation. His relationships with his family and ex-wife are far from simple or easy, yet he obviously loves his son and former mentor. Other characters may be more ...

afy9mab 22.08.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Michael Clayton (DVD)

I Was Duped

Advantages: Paul Giamatti, the idea of the plot is good
Disadvantages: The main actors, the pace, the flicking back and forth in time, confusing, boring

Claire Stenwick used to work for the CIA, and Ray Koval used to work for MI6. The pair had an affair many years ago, and now they're released from their respective agencies, they decide to do a job all of their own. Claire decides they should go to work for rival pharmaceutical companies and con them both to the tune of $40 million. Both bosses are desperate to get the new product from each other, so Claire and Ray twist things to get the product ...
...really trust each other, and will their competitive streaks be the making or breaking of them? This was a film I've been eager to see after all the adverts on TV a while back, and then I've seen it on the beginning ads of several DVDs I've rented lately too. I love Julia Roberts as an actress and Clive Owen is growing on me too so this seemed like an ideal watch. My fiance and I sat down with my parents to watch it on the last day of our visit to ...

mummy2harry 28.09.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Duplicity (DVD)

Outstanding

Advantages: Searching, soulful makes you think and is a wonder of a film with great performances.
Disadvantages: Needs your full attention.

...as a fixer, or as Michael calls himself a janitor who cleans up and looks after legal messes for VIP's and large companies. However, after 13 years on the job he finds himself fed up and slightly disgusted by the clientèle. The story covers four days in his life kicking off on the last day when his car was blown up to four days earlier. This is a must have DVD for any George Clooney fans or anyone who is interested in questioning, searching or deep ...

wantaratgirl 10.10.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Michael Clayton (DVD)

Duplicity is better than expected!

Advantages: Fun to watch, good chemistry between Owen and Roberts
Disadvantages: Formulaic in parts and it would be nice to see Roberts in a different kind of role

...think suits were invented, and have evolved over the years, specifically so that Clive Owen can wear them in movies and look that good. It's frustrating. From a males point of view. Anyway, I digress. I thought Duplicity was a smart, funny film, thoroughly enjoyable if taken in your stride. ...

soulspinner 13.09.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Duplicity (DVD)

Julia Roberts has a stupid moment

Advantages: none
Disadvantages: see review!

This film is poorly rated at IMDB.com, but I still somehow ended up watching it. It stars Julia Roberts and Clive Owen as spys who team up to con their bosses. From the get-go, this film just oozes cheesiness. We were watching it and I kept thinking ‘it’s going to get better’, but it just didn’t. Now I like Julia Roberts, in pretty much everything she has ever done. I think she’s a great actress and has quite a bit of integrity (particularly recently) ...
...Owen is a smarmy git at the best of times, and he comes across as James Bond’s crap brother in this film. The plot is just so basic, predictable and almost laughable that it’s almost like a kid’s film! I kept thinking there might have been some cool spy ideas in there, like clever techniques or gadgets. The atmosphere suggests there will be too, but it never really happens. At 125 minutes, it makes the mistake of being too long too. This should ...

bruffyboy 18.09.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Duplicity