Good Story and Good Film

Rating: 10/10 (30 March 2006)

George Clooney has taken a pivotal first step in his foray of directing: he solidified his knack for finding good stories to tell. As with "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," Clooney looked into the entertaining nuances of real life to draw inspiration for his film. However, "Good Night and Good Luck," as far as story goes, isn't as colorful a film (literally) as the controversial source material Clooney interpreted in his first venture.
This by no means is to say that "Good Night and Good Luck" isn't up to par with "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." In a lot of ways, the film is better.
I was a little apprehensive to sit through 97 minutes of a docu-drama in which I already knew the plot, but good ol' Clooney made sure the retelling was as entertaining as it would have been if I hadn't even known the names of Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy.
In the early to mid 1950's, a junior senator from Wisconsin, McCarthy (shown through real footage), used America's fear of communism as a means to secure his power and popularity in office. While McCarthy tagged any reporters who questioned his ethics a communist, Murrow, wonderfully played by David Strathairn, challenged McCarthy on live television and used his own popularity to exploit the senator. Buried cleverly within every scene, the audience can feel Clooney's love for the story and for Murrow's courage to take on a giant.
The directing was sharp; an active camera constantly circled the battle room that was CBS and its employees (made up from a strong cast: Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey jr., George Clooney) seemed to pop out of their black and white world and right into my living room. Clooney's hyperactive cameras and quick cuts heightened the sense of urgency that surrounded the battle of the titans Murrow and McCarthy staged in front of TV viewers everywhere and reminded the audience that while they were watching a film taking place in the 50's, it sure wasn't made in that time.
Whether you know the story of Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy or not, the film is an entertaining document of how fear is used to gain popularity in politics.
At a time when Spielberg, Burton, and Lucas seem to be showing their age, it's comforting to have someone rise through the woodwork and prove his worth in the world of film-making. Kudos to you, Clooney!