Best in this year's lot of Oscars

Rating: Null/10 (18 April 2006)

Watching "Goodnight, and good luck" feels at times like watching a multi-scene one act play, with the interlude between the scenes enriched by beautiful vocal performance of favorite jazz numbers by Dianne Reeves.
In mesmerizing black and white photography, the movie opens with languid camera lens roaming across faces at an evening event, to the nostalgic lyrics of "When I fall in love" in the background. Then, after a brief introduction, the gentleman to be honoured appears. Edward R. Murrow (played wonderfully by David Strathairn), despite the hitherto light, jovial atmosphere, starts to deliver his speech with characteristic seriousness. The movie then flashes back to the main story, and comes back at the end to conclude with the remainder of Murrow's speech.
This movie is a re-enactment of a well known part of recent US history, the downfall of communist-witch hunter Joe MaCarthy, a downfall brought by his own self-destruction, many say. This movie however see it from the perspective of Murrow, who most agree has a part to play in bringing down MaCarthy, although they may not agree on how large that part is. The story is told with exceptional detachment, sparing the audience of cheap thrills of poetic justice triumph. Furthermore, it starts at the point when the downfall is about to begin and therefore does not show MaCarthy at his most powerful viciousness.
This is an important movie for young people of this generation to see, not just in the US, but all over the world. Without any preaching, this movie reminds us all of this simple sense of honesty and truth that should never be forgotten. There is a secondary, but almost as important theme, as addressed in Murrow's speech - are we contented to let TV be just "wires, lights and a box"? There is such potential for it to inform that it's just a shame that it's only there to amuse.
This movie is also vastly entertaining, unless your idea of entertainment is limited to a car chase. Just to hear Strathairn's monologues is superb entertainment. But there's even occasional flashes of sense of humour. When asked about his meeting with a general, Friendly replies to Murrow, "It's not a general; it's two colonels." "Well, that makes it a general", quips Murrow.
Strathairn, as mentioned, immortalizes Murrow on the screen. George Clooney plays an uncharacteristically low-keyed (for Clooney) Fred Friendly, producer of Murrow's TV program that contributes to bringing down MaCarthy. There's also a fantastic supporting cast of Murrow's loyal colleagues and friends at the CBS. Clooney's direction is deft and no nonsense. MaCarthy plays himself, i.e. via newsreel footage "borrowed" for this movie.
"Goodnight, and good luck" is the best of the Oscar lot this year, winning or not.