More Educational Than Entertaining

Rating: Null/10 (15 April 2006)

As a semi-documentary, this film does a great job. Back in the 1950s American journalists tackled serious issues with integrity and courage. Edward R. Murrow exemplified that level of journalistic quality, as he clashed with powerful U.S. Senator Joe McCarthy, a fanatical right-wing conservative who alleged that certain prominent Americans were allied with Communism. McCarthy's accusations not only were unfounded, but also led to a general atmosphere of fear and paranoia. Probably more than anyone else, Murrow exposed McCarthy and his tactics, and in so doing showed that television journalists could serve a useful public function by questioning Washington politicians.
As much as anything Clooney's film reminds us, by inference, that today's television "news" is shallow, flippant, dishonest, and very, very self-serving. In effect, there is no Edward R. Murrow among today's myriad "news" people.
The cinematic package of "Good Night, and Good Luck" is high quality, but scholastic. The film's pace is very slow. There are several long speeches. The setting is entirely indoors giving a claustrophobic feel to the film, accentuated by close-up shots. David Strathairn does a terrific job in the role of Murrow.
The film's B&W cinematography is great but, along with all the cigarette smoke, the serious dialogue, and the jazzy score, contributes to a downbeat, depressing tone. Murrow, himself, comes across as a somber, studious, articulate man who smokes heavily and rarely smiles.
As educational as this film is, it is not particularly entertaining. A lot of viewers are going to be bored. The film is low-key, dreary and lacks the special effects, the humor, and the various cinematic gimmicks that contemporary viewers have come to expect from modern films.
Your opinion of this film will depend heavily on whether your purpose in watching is to learn something or to be entertained. Some films can do both. "Good Night, and Good Luck" excels mostly as education.