"We will not walk in fear of one another." - Edward R. Murrow

Rating: 9/10 (12 November 2005)

Many actors eventually decide to make a move behind the camera and make a movie. Most of the time this fails miserably because most of the time these actors think they have way more talent then they actually have. George Clooney made his kind of so-so debut with 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind', the story of the f-d up Chuck Barris and his theory that he was an assassin for the C.I.A., so I didn't really know what to expect with 'Good Night, and Good Luck.' Well, I can tell you he really impressed the hell out of me with this one. 'Good Night, and Good Luck.' is beautiful and well-crafted film-making that make me think Clooney is going to be working 'behind the camera' a lot more.
'Good Night, and Good Luck.' stems from the catch phrase newscaster Edward R. Murrow (David Straithirn - L.A. Confidential) coined in the 1950s. The story takes place in 1953 - a dark time for America because of Senator McCarthey (who is played by himself through archive footage) who is starting to down on everyone who may know someone who knows someone who is a communist. McCarthey is destroying lives with his "your a communist!" campaign and everyone fears the ground he walks on. All the newscasters are afraid of moving against McCarthey in their newscasts because they might be panned as a "commie" or "pinko". Murrow decides this doesn't bother him, and he wants to move against McCarthey in his broadcast, which would jeopardize the whole network. The head of CBS William Paley (Frank Langella - The Ninth Gate) and network exec Sig Mickelson (Jeff Daniels - Imaginary Heroes) feel this isn't a great idea, while Murrow's buddy and co-worker Fred Friendly (George Clooney) wants to go ahead with it. They broadcast a news clip kind of moving against McCarthey, and after that all hell breaks loose. The film turns into a battle of Murrow and the Network against McCarthey and his stream of bullsh*t and power. It's a powerful film, filmed completely in black & white, but you need to know your history on this before you go into the theater.
'Good Night, and Good Luck." is a masterfully directed motion picture. If there is any justice George Clooney will snag a 'Best Director' nomination at the upcoming Oscars ceremony. The film drags a lot during it's first 15 minutes, but after that it picks of tremendous momentum. The writing is solid but most of it (or a great deal of it) is actual word-for-word dialogue recorded in 1953. The acting is another incredible quality of this film. David Straithirn gives an absolutely amazing and bone-chilling performance as Ed Murrow, a performance of such power and sheer brilliance it would be a crime not to give the practically-unknown Straithirn his first Academy Award Nomination. The supporting cast is superb also with high-caliber performances from Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey, Jr., Frank Langella, Thomas McCarthy, Matt Ross, Robert John Burke, Reed Diamond, MADTV's Alex Borstein, and especially, Ray Wise (the crazy murdering dad from Twin Peaks) who is perfect as Don Hollenbeck. The cinematography should grab an Oscar nod along with the film editing. Besides the occasional dragging, everything in 'Good Night, and Good Luck.' is in order.
It's not an ely entertaining film and it will put the wrong people right to sleep, but 'Good Night, and Good Luck.' does a damn fine job telling the history of the situation at hand and if you let it it will teach you information you didn't already know. Grade: A- (screened at AMC Desert Ridge 18, Scottsdale, Arizona, 11/11/05)
my ratings guide - A+ (absolutley flawless); A (a masterpiece, near-perfect); A- (excellent); B+ (great); B (very good); B- (good); C+ (a mixed bag); C (average); C- (disappointing); D+ (bad); D (very bad); D- (absolutley horrendous); F (not one redeeming quality in this hunk of Hollywood feces).