REEL CRITICS:

Tony Gilroy made his reputation writing the screenplays for all three “Bourne” thrillers.

He brings all his expertise to his latest whip-smart effort, “Michael Clayton.” Gilroy wrote and directed this eye-popping look into the darker regions of the corporate legal world.

It’s clearly a place where the truth can be adjusted to suit the monetary purpose at hand.

George Clooney gives an Oscar-quality performance as the title character.

He plays a suave, but morally conflicted lawyer who works under the radar solving very big problems for a very big corporation.

When a massive lawsuit threatens to bankrupt the company, Clayton is tapped to walk point on the mission and solve the problem.

Sydney Pollack is superb as the boss who gives Clayton his marching orders.

But unknown to both of them, other dangerous operatives follow different orders on the same mission. Clayton and his allies are caught in the cross fire.

The complex plot simmers with tension, deception and white-knuckle suspense.

Tom Wilkinson is excellent as a senior attorney who is slowly going psychotic from the pressure of the unfolding events.

This is a riveting, powerful and intelligent thriller that will disturb and enlighten viewers. It’s a major candidate for Best Picture and several other Academy nominations.

A must-see for every adult longing for some real substance at the movies.

Casting can’t redeem rehashed plot devices

Director James Gray couldn’t have picked a better title or a finer cast for his crime thriller “We Own the Night” with the talented Robert Duvall, Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg and Eva Mendes.

But star power alone can’t carry a film. It’s too bad no one thought to own a more cohesive and original story, rather than recycle plot points from “The Departed,” with a little operatic angst thrown in from “The Godfather.”

Robert Duvall once again plays crusty as old Burt Grusinsky, a respected New York City police chief with one son, Joseph (Wahlberg) who is honorably following in his footsteps.

Joaquin Phoenix (still channeling Johnny Cash) plays Bobby, the black-sheep brother who has forsaken the family name and runs a booming downtown nightclub. Except for his sexy girlfriend (Mendes), nobody knows about his background. Bobby is much closer to the club’s Russian owner and his family than to his own.

Blood proves to be thicker than vodka when Bobby’s true family is caught up in a dangerous drug investigation.

The tension starts to build nicely, culminating in a terrific chase sequence in a blinding rainstorm. Then logic and drama mysteriously get swept away in the downpour, and we’re left thinking, “Wait a minute, how can that really be possible?”

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.