Inside: We saw MICHAEL CLAYTON

We don't go out to the movies all that often anymore (and if we could download new releases I think we'd stop altogether), but when we do, we pop over to Rotten Tomatoes to see what the critics have to say about the flick before we commit $20 and a couple of hours to it.

Michael Clayton, which we saw last night, has a 90% Tomatoer rating, or 150 positive reviews out of 166. And the critics didn't just like it; they used words like "engrossing," "intelligent," "complex," "brilliant" and "exciting" -- how could we resist?

After seeing it, I'm a little less enthused than the critics. I don't disagree with them completely -- it is, at its core, a very good film, full of superb acting and a straightforward plot that doesn't rely on ridiculous twists, predictable love stories or showy pyrotechnics to carry it (MC's use of a single explosion makes it all that more effective).

But although the film is smart, I wouldn't call it complex. True, the audience has no idea what's going on in the first part of the film, but all becomes clear easily in the second half, without any necessary piecing together by the viewer. I watched the first part of the movie intensely, looking for small but relevant clues, and I found out later that Anthony had done the same. I went in expecting a plot with intricate layers and blink-and-you'll miss-it details. But this is not that type of movie.

And it's actually fine that it isn't. The story, though slow, is interesting. And, again, the acting is excellent. Clooney is almost repulsive here and, although his shaggy appearance may have dimmed down his wattage a bit, most of it is solely thanks to his acting chops; he conveys a tired, sour and resentful man under duress without saying a word. But my favorite scenes belonged to the consistently excellent Tilda Swinton as corporate lawyer Karen Crowder. Her practice speeches in front of a mirror and her nervous attempt to orchestrate a hit are both uncomfortable to watch and dryly enjoyable. Never has being corrupt looked so stressful.

My bottom line on Michael Clayton is that I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had skipped the reviews and watched it without expectations. I also recommend getting it on DVD rather than seeing it in the theater -- it does have some slow stretches that would have seemed a lot faster had I been able to take a bathroom break and stretch out on the couch.

Before the movie, we saw a preview for Vantage Point (due out in February) which, in pretty direct contrast, looks to be chock full of explosions and plot twists. It'll also probably be chock full of Hollywood cliches, but it does look like fun -- basically, this is what I hope the new season of 24 looks like.