Review of Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) by Gareth B — 29 Jul 2010

Although slow-burning, Good Night, and Good Luck is a realistic and dramatic portrayal of how CBS News worked to bring an end to the McCarthy Communist Witchhunts of the 1950's. For a film directed by George Clooney, it is quite incredibly beautiful, making excellent use of black and white format and lighting techniques.

All of the cast put in great turns, of course most notably Strathairn who just feels made for the role of Ed. Murrow, but also some of his surrounding staff such as Robert Downey Jr. The plotline meanders at a rather slow pace, but it you keep concentrated you will appreciate the gravity with which it approaches the subject matter.

Music is great, with some classic Jazz numbers thrown in here and there which create just the right atmosphere. In test screenings, it was recorded that some of the audience thought the actor playing McCarthy was over-the-top, unaware that the film exclusively uses documentary footage of McCarthy himself in order to fill his own role.

This decision is one of the films strengths, for it allows the Junior Sentator from Wisconsin to once again demonstrate his bullish, scaremongering presence, against the reserved, reasonable one of Murrow.

In the end, this film touches on some issues which remain extremely important today: Is it the job of television to inform, or to entertain us? Murrow would likely be horrified at the current, uninformed nature of some TV journalism, and his remarks on the subject ring just as strongly today.