Oscar Weekend, Day One

The husband and daughter are out of town for a few days, leaving me to a movie-priority weekend! I'm on an Oscar preparation mission. Trying to avoid popcorn along the way. Will post nightly on movie reactions and popcorn avoidance success.
Tonight: MICHAEL CLAYTON
Reaction: fantastic
Nutshell: Michael (George Clooney) is the "fixer" for a law firm that's defending a sinister agricultural company, and everything in his financial and professional life is on the line. His cohort in the firm has a moral epiphany and Michael gets caught in the middle.

Analysis: I love it when a film explores a single profound theme through multiple characters. In this one, everyone is drowning in chaos and they're up to their eyeballs in it. One character, Karen, "fixes" everything through careful plotting, planning, and murder. Michael's friend, Arthur, is so intoxicated by the possibility of redemption that he constructs a mad symphony of salvation for himself and everyone he's wronged... but the music is so loud that he doesn't hear the footsteps at his back. Michael plays out his role like a leading man should, piecing together the clues and bringing the chaos to justice.

God in it: The message here is that our chaos needs a savior. There's no sense in taking the reins by ourselves and being our own "fixers" because we are all totally inadequate alone. Some of us drunks, some of us lonely, some of us bankrupt, some of us nearly mad... things only get fixed when love comes into play. This film doesn't suggest there is a Heavenly Savior, but it's definitely on to something good. Michael's triumph couldn't have happened without his skeptical cop brother, his lowlife loser of a brother, and (more indirectly) his affable, book-reading son. In one scene, when he narrowly escapes a car bomb, one might ask if a Higher Power was looking down on him. There is a lot to ponder in the film from a Christian standpoint. Highly recommended.

Popcorn Status: Movie snacks by-passed, but quick cereal binge upon homecoming. Give self a C+.