GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK [2005] review

March 4, 2006 · Print This Article

After watching George Clooney’s GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK I am left wondering how the television news survived to present day. It seemed that even way back in the 50’s TV was being billed as a distractor and an insulator from the hard news of the day. And though Edward R. Murrow struck great success with his newshow that started the downfall of Sen. McCarthy, it didn’t stop him the downfall of said show. It seems that reporters and journalists have to fight like mad to get their stories to the public, and it’s a testament to the strength of democracy in the face of corporate silencing machines that some news, still manages to make it out to the public to this day.

GOOD NIGHT illustrates directly how a news team’s determination can expose a truth that needs to be for the good of a country. There are no tricks in Clooney’s directing and telling of this tale. The movie is a lean 93 minutes, and almost doesn’t feel like a movie at all. I think there was no score at all. Without that, it loses a lot of movie feel, but that is a credit to a film like this. Music is provided between scenes by a jazz singer recording in a nearby studio.

There are strong performances all around. Yet I feel that the almost clinical-ness of Clooney’s direction takes some of the bite out of this movie, as compared to SYRIANA’s more contemporary display of cynicism. Still, there is no denying the bite in the response Murrow makes to McCarthy’s public allegations against him. When that scene ends, you might hear “checkmate” in your mind.

And…people sure smoked a lot in the 50’s.

RELATED POSTS:
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR [2007] review
I AM LEGEND [2007] review
THE BOURNE SUPREMACY [2004] review
X-MEN: THE LAST STAND [2006] review
E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL [1982] review