Michael Clayton (R) Grade: C+

hey cheat, they lie, they steal, they throw morals out the window, they defend criminals, they pursue innocents, they have their filthy hands in the cookie jar, they hate puppies and they eat babies. These are not uncommon perceptions of the American lawyer. \n"Michael Clayton" does its best to reinforce this view of the legal system. Because legal proceedings can take years to complete, it's not surprising that the film involves a lot of talking with only a few well-placed action scenes.\nMichael Clayton (George Clooney) is a lawyer at Kenner, Bach & Ledeen, a large New York law firm with corporate clients. But Clayton is no ordinary lawyer. He is the company's janitor, efficiently cleaning up the messes every one else makes and ensuring the company saves face -- and he is very good at his job. But when one of the firm's most intelligent lawyers Arthur (Tom Wilkinson) loses his grip on reality, Clayton is thrust down a winding tunnel that leads him to come face to face with deceit, murder and one of the biggest corporate cover-ups his firm has ever pursued.\n"Michael Clayton" deals in cliche views of the legal system and has a slow plotline. Luckily, the twists that occur every so often throughout the two-hour legal conversation are enough to hold viewers' interest. Clooney gives a strong performance, despite having to play a slightly confusing role that simultaneously turns him into both legal hard-baller and family man. \nIf you've ever been screwed by a lawyer or just have a general distaste for the American legal system, spending a Saturday night watching a bunch of bad lawyers (with a few good ones mixed in) and corporate slime balls would be worthwhile. "Michael Clayton" is entertaining, even if the lawyer talk can sometimes be too much to handle.