Review of Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) by Stuart K — 05 Sep 2012
George Clooney's 2nd film as a director, and like his directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), this one is also set in the world of TV, but this one is serious compared to the quirky off-kilter tone of his debut.
Shot in a stark black and white, it's a compelling character piece, with a good cast and one underrated actor giving a powerhouse lead performance. The film begins in 1953, where America is gripped with paranoia over the Communist Witchhunts by Senator Joseph McCarthy, but in New York, at CBS TV, renowned broadcaster Edward R.
Murrow (David Strathairn) and his producer Fred W. Friendly (Clooney) and reporter Joseph Wershba (Robert Downey, Jr.), plan to use their topical news show, See It Now, to expose Senator McCarthy for what he is.
It starts when they hear a news report regarding Milo Radulovich, who was dismissed from the U.S. Air Force, all because his father subscribed to a Serbian newspaper. A very public feud develops between Murrow and McCarthy, and despite McCarthy trying to use dirty tricks to bring Murrow down, it doesn't work, and Murrow keeps his cool under pressure.
This is a thoughtful character drama, capturing the 50's perfectly, the film's message is simple, never underestimate the power of television. Strathairn has always been an overlooked actor, and here Clooney gave him a leading role, and Strathairn got an Oscar nomination for his role, and the film is topped off with a good cast including Jeff Daniels, Patricia Clarkson and Frank Langella.
This review of Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) was written by Stuart K on 05 Sep 2012.
Good Night, and Good Luck. has generally received very positive reviews.
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