Good Night, Good Luck, Good Movie

Rating: 8/10 (27 November 2005)

Good Night, and Good Luck is the story of Edward R. Murrow and his team of journalists speaking up to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy. George Clooney directs and stars in the movie as Fred Friendly. The film delves into the daring topics brought to attention about the Senator's communist "witch hunt." Filming the movie in black and white is more than just a nice touch to set the scene in this film, as there is evidence that a lot more was done to capture the essence of that period. From the sets to the cinematography, a very convincing job was done to make it seem as if the movie was actually filmed in the days of Murrow. Another contributor to this back-in-time effect was the fact that actual footage of Senator Joseph McCarthy was used. Stratharin's portrayal of Murrow seems a bit overdone but he still maintains a commanding presence that can still clinch the viewer's attention. The jazzy, musical "intermissions" are a nice touch and yet another interesting method used to capture the time period. Overall, Good Night, and Good Luck is a polished, well-written, well-directed period piece that gives viewers the opportunity to remember the impact of the news back then, and think about the impact of the news now.