Good Night, and Good Luck.

Rating: 7/10 (26 January 2009)

While he won his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor the same year for Syriana, George Clooney was nominated the Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globes for writing and directing, and a BAFTA for acting in this period drama based on a true story. It is the late 1950's, and paranoia has spread in the United States over threat of Communism, and exploiting the fears was Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy (archive footage). CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow (The Bourne Ultimatum's Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated David Strathairn) and his producer Fred Friendly (Clooney) decided to take a stand and challenge the Senator and expose him for the fear maker he was. However, their actions (which they did debate on whether to air or not) too a personal toll on them, but they managed to bring down one of the most controversial senators of American history, oh, and get their show cancelled with only five final episodes granted by their station boss William Paley (Frank Langella). Also starring Robert Downey Jr. as Joe Wershba, Jeff Daniels as Sig Mickelson, Dogville's Patricia Clarkson as Shirley Wershba, Ray Wise as Don Hollenbeck, Robert John Burke as Charlie Mack, Reed Diamond as John Aaron, Tate Donovan as Jesse Zousmer and Grant Heslov (also writing) as Don Hewitt. Strathairn gives a magnificent performance as the mostly quiet and courage-filled (to get the point across) reporter, and of course he gets his signature sign-off, giving the film its title. All supporting actors also add to the story which has gorgeously filmed in black and white, and a great actor-director at the helm. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Writing, Original Screenplay and Best Motion Picture of the Year, it was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Film, Best Editing, Best Original Screenplay and the David Lean Award for Direction, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Screenplay. Very good!