It is always exciting to see a new director break out and make a great movie, and Tony Gilroy has done just that. He has an impressive screenwriting resume so far including the likes of “Proof of Life,” “The Devil’s Advocate,” and “The Bourne Trilogy.” His new film, “Michael Clayton,” is probably the best thriller of the year and one of the best movies of the year overall.

“Michael Clayton” follows the titular character played by George Clooney. He is a fixer for one of the biggest law firms in New York, Kenner, Bach & Ledeen. His job is to take care of the little sticky situations that come up and make them go away if it’s possible.

If something happens such as a client hitting someone in his car late at night, or someone’s family member has a black sheep moment, Michael Clayton is sent to deal with it. His job isn’t glamorous and often it is on the wrong side of what is right, but he does it anyway because it pays well and he gets the job done. His career also causes him to lose time with his son.

Meanwhile, Arthur Edens, played by Tom Wilkinson, is defending U/North, a chemical company that is being sued for using harmful chemicals. He also works for Kenner, Bach and Ledeen. But when he breaks down during the case he threatens the entire dispute which if lost could cost U/North billions of dollars, not to mention destroy a pending merger for the law firm. The merger is most important to Marty Bach, played by Sydney Pollack, who is a founding member of the firm.

He sends Clayton in to handle the situation and get everything under control. But Marty isn’t the only one who is worried about the litigation. Karen Crowder, played by Tilda Swinton, works for U/North as chief council and will stop at nothing to prove she can handle the situation and save the company billions of dollars. What follows is an intricate web of deceit and moral ambiguity.

It is clear after seeing this movie that Tony Gilroy is ready for directing. Aside from writing this intriguing script which is full of fascinating characters and themes, Gilroy has crafted a thriller that has plenty of suspense and even a couple jumps. There is a scene involving Clayton which I will not describe and risk ruining the surprise, where the whole audience gave an audible gasp because of an unexpected yell.

Besides the script being written and directed well, the cast is amazing. George Clooney is great, like he almost always is. He is forceful as well as straightforward. There is a scene where Clooney is telling a troubled client how it is, that he is not a miracle worker, but just the man who will clean up the mess. It’s very cool to see him do that “you’re screwed, deal with it” thing.

Tilda Swinton is one of the real standouts in the film. She utterly embraces her role of a woman trying to fit into the male dominated world of law. She is the kind of actress who can slip on a skin and be someone else completely. Throughout the movie there are several scenes where she is in public or talking to important people and it inter-cuts into her getting ready in her hotel room, picking lint off her clothes or practicing a speech in front of a mirror and continually stuttering. The great thing about this is watching her nervous almost OCD-like tendencies. Swinton’s abilities really give the character life and make it easier to see why her character does the bad things she does. It’s the only way for her to succeed, or at least that’s what she believes.

Tom Wilkinson also gives a great performance as the manic depressive Arthur Edens. At the opening of the film there is a voiceover monologue that he does that really pulls you in. His delirious voice recounts an epiphany he has is such a wild manner that you can’t help but want to know what he is talking about and why he is so frantic and tormented. He also utters one of the best lines in the film, “I am Shiva the god of death!” It sounds funny, but it is an awesome line, and even better when it is repeated towards the end of the movie.

The cinematography by Robert Elswit is dark and brooding, adding to the suspense and underlying feeling of crookedness. The tone of the movie is dark, reflecting the bad things the characters do to get ahead. It really feels like these are adults who have gotten themselves way in over their heads.

The casting by Ellen Chenoweth is great because she was able to get a lot of great theater and unknown actors into the movie that still have immense talent. People like Sean Cullen and Merrit Wever who play Michael Clayton’s brother and a plaintiff respectively. She has worked on various Coen brothers movies including the upcoming “No Country for Old Men.”

The only qualm I had was not being able to see it twice because it requires the viewer’s full attention and then some. There are so many intricate details and things that are spoken softly or quickly in legal jargon it can be difficult to follow. But overall it is worth it to see this movie. Tony Gilroy’s new film is fresh, smart and will entice any viewer.

Luke Soin can be reached at [email protected]