Michael Clayton (George Clooney), a criminal prosecutor, was once a shining figure in the New York legal community. After leaving his job, he worked in a large private law firm. Under the supervision of his new boss, Marty Butcher (Sydney Pollack), he began to clean up bad records. But his work and personal life have also changed: his wife and children left him, and his debts made him lose his former glory. The financial situation forced him to continue to suffer at work. At the same time, he was involved in a class action lawsuit worth millions of dollars because of the company's dirty business. Just as he used his connections and rich experience to "clear the fog" and successfully resolve the lawsuit, another clerk under the boss, Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) and female litigation lawyer Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) and others were involved one by one, making Michael's career and life once again face a new round of severe challenges...