(8 votes, average: 3.88 out of 5)
Loading …Rent Movie.com movie reviews presents Good Night and Good Luck Movie Review a 2005 film starring Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn and directed by Intelligent and stylish, George Clooney’s Good Night and Good Luck is about journalist Edward R. Murrow’s exposure of Senator Joe McCarthy’s un-American attack on alleged Communists is filmed in delicious 1950s black and white. It’s as if the whole film is colored by Murrow’s clear character: subtle, strong, sure, straight.
I was impressed by director Clooney’s feel for the subject matter, and his respect for both his subject and his audience. There isn’t a single scene of hyped-up drama, a single instance of music-manipulation, just reality, and plenty of it. McCarthy, for example, is played by himself, through skillful use of archive footage. David Strathairn as Murrow is understated and flawless. The parallels to today cannot be missed, especially the timely footage of Eisenhower talking about our precious right to habeus corpus, so recently eviscerated by Bush. Just substitute the word Communist for the word terrorist, and you’ll receive an invaluable lesson. Bless George Clooney! Here is a man the media has placed in the position of an idol, a man-toy, who is wise enough, and deep enough, to use that box office power to create a film of great significance. Watch it with your children as an opportunity to instruct them about character and courage. Watch it for yourself to renew your sense of hope - and the power a few brave souls have to change the world.
Shanti Mai
shantimai.rentmovie.com
Comment by M. Swinney “Marc My Words”
# January 1, 2007,
Edward R. Murrow, it seems, was a very brave soul in a time that needed brave souls. Also, Murrow added his journalistic integrity and simple courage to a cause in a time where it seemed difficult, if not suicidal, to be brave and take a stand against elements of the United States Government. For the artistic telling of a period in Murrow’s life, an artistic rendering of a conflict of ideas, a paralleled parable to our current ‘culture of fear’ times, Clooney and Grant Heslov deserved the 78th Academy Awards Best Motion Picture of the Year Award for films made in 2005. And that is my stated opinion considering 2005 was a strong year for finely made films with one of the stronger batch of contenders, historically.
There is so much to talk about that works strongly in Clooney and Heslov’s, “Good Night and Good Luck,” that for one, I’m not sure where to begin, and two, I struggle to reach conciseness. The musical score is brilliantly done to flavor the film with rich jazz belaying a time in the mid to late 1950’s in which the film covers. Hats off to Dianne Reeves, who you may learn from the audio commentary, plays most of the music live on set. Let’s talk a little about lead actor, David Strathairn’s performance. Clooney has said that Strathairn is an actor’s actor but before I viewed, “Good Night and Good Luck,” I’d have to say that portrayal may be accurate. I say this because it seems to the viewing public, Strathairn’s body of work just isn’t that well known. However, after “Good Night and Good Luck,” I think Strathairn will be drawing in a more popularized audience of folks who follow his work. It seems he was born to play this part of Murrow, he does it that well. I, for one, will be looking at DVD rentals with Strathairn in them in a different intrigued “rent me” sort of light.
OK, now to get at the meat and potatoes of the movie and why I think it deserves to be on a top 20 films in the last say…three decades sort of list. First and foremost, “Good Night and Good Luck,” seems to draw from history a period of intense national public debate and thread it through to relevance on what the Viet Nam war meant and what the current Global War on Terrorism means. I’m not sure if this was Clooney or Heslov’s intention but it’s the effect it had on me and I’m sure isn’t lost on others. **Side note here…I keep saying Clooney and Heslov in one breath because you will learn from the audio commentary that this dynamic duo have been working together in Hollywood for quite some time and each share the responsibilities in this film for writing the screenplay, believing in the film, and ultimately (though it’s not billed this way) sharing co-director roles.**
So Edward R. Murrow’s personal bravery and courage was just a very visible part of the bravery and courage exhibited by the people of tje Columbia Broadcast System (CBS) company from it’s news team all the way up to President, William S. Paley. When Senator Joseph McCarthy (incredulously played in this film by himself) fueled the pink scare through the House Committee Hearing on Un-American Activities, he not only unduly sent the majority of the American Public into a culture of fear, but effectively ruined a good number of personal lives and professional careers. CBS had a great role in putting a stop to that. This, I believe, is faithfully told in Clooney and Heslov’s film without too much subversion of the historical truth to garner a ticket-selling dramatic flair.
The real reason the film is so important is that the modern media, in a time where bravery for standing up for principles and journalistic integrity may be a difficult prospect; is so needed in our current climate of national and international fear during this Global War on Terrorism. Bravery is needed today now more than ever. The principles that Murrow and the CBS team stood ground on during the communist witch trials of the 50’s, and again stood ground on during the Viet Nam conflict, seems sadly and sorely missed today. Where are those Murrow’s, Friendly’s, and Paley’s of yesteryear? Who is going to fill those shoes today? We need you again, CBS, CNN or whomever is willing to step up to the plate to ensure the truth be told, and that the truth drives national debate, which in turn fuels national and international policy. Only if this bravery is present today, will it allow national and international leadership to avoid decision point mistakes like those made in waging war against Iraq.
Clooney, Heslov, thank you for giving us the best film of 2005 even though the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences didn’t see it that way. Amazon customer, if you should ever find yourself in Munich, reading a copy of Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” pondering about the sign of the times, broke back on your luck staring at the Bavarian Alp mountains, you will certainly head for a crash when pondering how the current GWOT is going to turn out…all I can really say to you dear film freak is Good Night and Good Luck. Don’t you dare miss getting a hold of a copy of this DVD from Amazon for your personal collection. It’s that good.
–MMW