As a movie it lacks some emotion, but as a documentary it's almost perfect

Rating: 7/10 (3 May 2007)

An important film the Americans say, which I'm not doubting at all. A movie about courage to stand out, even if you're outnumbered. The movie is based on real events and I guess it's pretty accurate when it comes to that. A fear of communism was at its highest point at the 1950's and a man embracing those fears was a controversial Senator called Joseph McCarthy. CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow and his close friend, also his producer, Fred Friendly decide to challenge the Senator and his beliefs by making it all public in Murrow's own talk show. A stubborn, yet a very clever exposé done.
One thing that probably makes this movie stand out the most is the casting. There's honestly all the right actors for the right roles and it gives the movie more of this feeling of it being so real. That said, the film is overall more like a documentary acted out than an actual movie. One hell of a good documentary though. What comes to role performances, there's really one man that stands out the most and he is an actor named David Strathairn who plays the role of Edward R. Murrow. As I am myself in a young age, I can't remember how Mr. Murrow actually was like, but what I've heard I think Strathairn is almost the perfect mirror image of Murrow. And I must say he does some really fine job, well worth Academy Award Nomination. There's just something so powerful in his voice that it just makes the character feel so real and every word spoken by Strathairn is there for a reason, every word has its own purpose. Magnificent role performance indeed.
The movie is directed by George Clooney, who also co-stars in the movie as the producer Fred Friendly. His role performance is also great and he just fits for the role, but it's still nothing near Strathairn's performance. This movie is a very good example of the fact that Clooney can also direct, as the directing really is good along the whole cinematography. I'd say it was a pretty bold choice to shoot the movie totally in black and white, but it does fit very well if you ask me. It captures the real essence of the 1950's and makes it also a bit darker, as it really was a dark period back then. Nicely done. The screenplay is well written, overall the movie has a pretty good flow and it progresses itself in a nice tempo. I wouldn't say there is so much nonsense, because as far as I can see it, every scene does its justice by being there which also makes the movie a bit short. Everything is over in just 1 hour and slightly over 20 minutes. The lenght it good though, as if there had been more stuff it may had caused the movie to be a bit boring.
For me as a Finnish person and as a person at my 20's, it's pretty obvious that I can't remember anything from the 1950's and the whole fear of communism at the US. That's why the movie is also a bit hard for me to understand, though I know a few things here and there. I would have hoped the movie to be more emotional, as now it just comes and goes without waking up some real emotions in me. A pity, as the movie is good, but it would have been much better that way. Clooney could have dramatized some situations, but it may have made the movie too cliché though. But as it is a historical event and more importantly an important historical event, it could have been an emotional-packed-ride. Like I mentioned before; As the way the movie is now, it does feel more like a documentary. Overall it's a nice movie despite this negative feedback, so I can recommend it to everyone. It's not a masterpiece, but it's well worth watching, especially if you're interested in that specific period of time and how all the people working around it reacted to Murrow's "statements" and how people were scared. Above a decent movie, nice one indeed.