When I first saw Michael Clayton nearly three years ago, I didn't really understand it at all. I have to be honest in saying that I couldn't successfully put it all together. It's a very complex film, and I wasn't able to fully comprehend it until the night after I first saw The Dark Knight. It was a "point of clarity" for me, when the threshold that had been keeping me back from truly understanding what the Academy saw in the films they nominated was torn down. The greatest films require attention and devotion, not just from the cast and crew behind it, but from the audience in the theaters.
I always appreciated Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, and George Clooney's performances, but only because of the reputations they carry around with them. It's amazing how different the film feels, now that I can look deeper into their characters. Tony Gilroy puts multiple devices at work here to advance the quality of his film. Is it as good as the frontrunners from that year? Of course not, but it holds up perfectly in repeat viewings, unlike a great deal of films that grow less seasoned with time.
A
No comments:
Post a Comment