The Contenders: Michael Clayton

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Michael Clayton didn’t strike me as an Oscar film sight unseen. It was a small heralded political thriller from the guy who wrote the Bourne movies. After watching, however, I got that same feeling I had about In the Bedroom, Capote and The Queen. It’s a quiet contender, one that probably won’t get any solid buzz until it wins a National Board of Review award for actor (George Clooney), supporting actor (Tom Wilkinson) or directorial debut (Tony Gilroy). But its buzz will build.

Michael Clayton is a pensive, socially conscious movie with moments of rage, much like the films Sidney Lumet was nominated for in the 1970s. There are differences of course, even differences from the recent nominees I mention above. But with more cash in the bank than any box office watcher anticipated (closing in on $40 million) and recent Oscar winner Clooney giving another stellar performance, Clayton is setting itself up for a solid run this awards season.

Word of mouth caught on enough to carry the film up to Holiday blockbuster season, but Michael Clayton dropped out of most theaters this past weekend. What will Warner’s big move be? A re-release? How about a DVD release about the time people are voting for nominees? Clayton isn’t an art house picture, already playing in wide release. That means the collapsing window between theatrical release and DVD may give it a final push into contention after the critics are done with it. Hey, it worked for Little Miss Sunshine.

Top 8 Chances
Look for Clooney to snag his first Best Actor nomination, while the respected veteran Tom Wilkinson could quickly jump into frontrunner status for the supporting actor trophy. (He’ll have to take down Javier Bardem’s No Country for Old Men performance.) Co-star Tilda Swinton could finally get the nomination she’s been long denied, playing the legal counsel to a company that has poisoned the water supply in farms across the Midwest. Swinton only gets her nomination after a nod for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

TheFilmChair.com 2007-2008 Oscar Charts

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