McCarthy's dangerous attitude and the man who showed him for who he really was.

Rating: 9/10 (18 October 2006)

*Good Night, and Good SPOILERS*
In 1954 Edward R. Murrow, a newscaster for CBS, dedicated an episode of his show 'See It Now' to the case of a military pilot, Milo Radulovich, who had been thrown out of the Air Force for no apparent reason, and as he delves deeper, he decides to actually show McCarthy for what he is; a person who abuses of his authority to have all who disagree with him branded as communists (even if they aren't) and destroyed/set on auto-destruction (like Ray Wise's Hollenbeck)... hmmm, where do I have seen this technique before? Oh yeah! Adolf Hitler, 1930s; Benito Mussolini, 1930s; Josef Stalin, 1940s (ironic, isn't it?); Berlusconi, 1998-2006 (at least, he tried to). Especially Berlusconi sounds like a McCarthy lite, with its inane narcissism and his love for branding everyone who doesn't agree with him as 'Communist'.
But I digress...
George Clooney really showed his talents, in acting, directing and writing, especially the last one. Creating a somber, lowdown, almost minimal black-and-white movie which manages to feel really as close as a movie can get to the real truth.
All the actors are well in part; Strathairn especially deserves the Award he got at last year's Venice Film Festival, for he makes Murrow an utterly captivating character, without playing him simply as a hero, and Ray Wise's suffering performance is the confirmation that Twin Peaks wasn't just a matter of luck.
But the 'most fascinating actor' award goes to McCarthy himself; the footage with him is actual footage from the 1950s, and shows clearly his... let's say 'unique' personality.
And I hope it makes you think; it made me.
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Good Night, and Good Luck: 9/10.