An Honest Review

Rating: 10/10 (27 November 2016)

It is odd how, a historical biopic still has a box to check for spoiler alerts, as if to say that Americans don't know enough about their own history to actually know how this story is going to end.
The fact is, they are right, we don't and we are seeing it all play out again.
It is decent enough. The Black and White gives is a nice vintage feel to match the old television sets at the time and the use of authentic period advertisements is a beautiful touch. It not only sets the era, but it also works as a nice subtle hint towards what we are about to see, mainly the removal of news as a public service and the addition of news as a source of revenue.
It all came to end in the unclimatic demise of the Fairness and Accuracy Act, the one that had been destroyed long--almost two decades--before "Good Night, and Good Luck" was even filmed.
2005 was the release date, well into the Bush Administration, well into the crackdown of anyone that disagreed with the president or the wars, or anything else touted as right-wing values.
So on one hand it stands as a warning, this is what happened before and it is happening again today. Not unlike Miller's "The Crucible" served as that same warning during the Red Scare and HUAAC.
And on the other hand it attacks the press. After all, at the time Fox viewers believed that Iraq perpetrated 9-11 and many still do. It shines the light on how the news became a tool of disinformation for the masses. How it went from standing for the truth to telling lies.
And it also brings the journalists to account. Many traded access for accuracy and still are. Even today not a single news source, save Maddow ran anything that didn't utterly vilify Hillary in the last election. Before that they all seemed to agree that ignoring the truth about WMDs in Iraq, smearing Kerry, doing whatever it took to stay close to power was better that trying to take it on. They all seemed to think that towing the disinformation line made for better ratings and they largely still do.
The fact is this movie came out over a decade ago and it is still important. The press, the fourth estate, with few exceptions, has yet to develop the fearless nerves to take on what they see as wrong, or lies. And the nation is suffering for it.