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July 26, 2026Sources cited
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Michael Clayton

Michael Clayton is a 2007 American legal thriller film written and directed by Tony Gilroy in his directorial debut.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Michael Clayton is a 2007 American legal thriller film written and directed by Tony Gilroy in his directorial debut. It stars George Clooney as a corporate law firm fixer who becomes entangled in a cover-up involving one of the firm’s major clients. The film received critical acclaim and won one Academy Award for Tilda Swinton.

Plot

The story follows Michael Clayton, a lawyer and firm fixer who handles damage control for wealthy clients. He is drawn into a crisis when a senior colleague’s breakdown threatens a major case involving a chemical company.

Production

Michael Clayton was written and directed by Tony Gilroy, marking his directorial debut. It was produced in the United States and released in 2007.

Release and reception

The film opened in October 2007 and was widely praised for Gilroy’s writing and direction, along with the cast performances. Tilda Swinton’s performance received particular acclaim.

Awards

Michael Clayton received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and acting nominations for Clooney, Wilkinson, and Swinton. Swinton won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Key facts

  • George Clooney plays the title character, a fixer at a major New York law firm.
  • The plot centres on a corporate class-action lawsuit and an attempted cover-up involving client wrongdoing.
  • Tony Gilroy made his feature directorial debut with the film.
  • The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won Best Supporting Actress for Tilda Swinton.
  • It grossed about US$93 million worldwide and about US$49 million in North America.
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Canadian context

The film was distributed and discussed widely in Canada as part of international English-language cinema, but it has no specific Canadian setting or production connection in the supplied sources.

Frequently asked questions

What is Michael Clayton about?
It follows a law firm fixer who becomes involved in a corporate cover-up after a colleague’s breakdown threatens a major lawsuit.
Who directed Michael Clayton?
Tony Gilroy wrote and directed the film.
Who stars in Michael Clayton?
The film stars George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, and Sydney Pollack.
Did Michael Clayton win any Oscars?
Yes. Tilda Swinton won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
When was Michael Clayton released?
It was released in 2007, with a U.S. release on October 5, 2007.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Clayton
    Supports: Basic film identification, release year, plot, cast, worldwide box office, and Academy Award nominations/win.
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/michael_clayton
    Supports: Release date, genre, synopsis, runtime, and U.S. box office.
  3. Apple TV — https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/michael-clayton/umc.cmc.4677qjtolc6c67ytbjg11zd9g
    Supports: Plot synopsis and principal cast.
  4. Netflix — https://www.netflix.com/title/70059995
    Supports: Short synopsis and principal cast.