Well produced, but only grazing the surface

Rating: 8/10 (30 October 2005)

Good Night and Good Luck is the story of Edward Murrows and his fight against McCarthyism. The movie is shot in a vintage-style black and white and aged to look like the whole movie was recovered from a vault after 50 years. The movie is wonderfully cast with male leads that seem to defy identification to any generation, including Jeff Daniels, Goerge Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., and David Strathairn. However, at only 93 minutes, the movie really only has time to touch on the issue at hand. You seem to fly through the movie, with major milestones occurring every few minutes. Key ideas such are only given a very brief time to be explored. For instance, Downey's character asks his wife whether she is sure they are helping the right side. A somewhat brief and vague answer was all the viewer got. Subtle and delicate, "Good Night and Good Luck" almost failed to convey the message, almost. I left the movie theater impressed, inspired, and enlightened, but somehow unfulfilled, I just wanted a little more.