Can an actor make a decent director?

Rating: 10/10 (24 November 2005)

Can an actor make a decent director? I think not. I can think of a long list of actors who proved to be at best mediocre directors: Clint Estwood, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Jody Foster, etc. Fellini comes as a rare exception of an actor turned a genius director. Yet, I was very impressed by "Good Night and Good Luck", and so George Clooney appears to be an exception. Clooney showed a great deal of taste in his reserved, minimalist approach, in creating the sense of tightness in broadcasting room and broadcasting business itself, both physical and psychological. And in addition to artistic qualities, the film, in its unobtrusive way, addresses some of the most important issues we are facing today: demand for civil liberties abroad while undermining them at home, lack of Murrow-like journalists in our age of corporate (I almost wrote corrupt) journalism. I am very impressed, and will give a look to future works of Clooney. Wanna play number game? OK, I'll give a 10 to his effort. And thank you, George.