Good Night and Good Luck

Good Night, and Good Luck is about one of America's darkest times, the raids of Joseph McCarthy and the man who almost single-handedly brought him down, Edward R. Murrow. Directed and written by George Clooney, and staring him and David Strathairn as the journalist himself, it is a compelling piece of how one voice can cause and eruption of change.

Strathairn easily deserves his Oscar nomination as the newsman unafraid of controversy. He plays his part with witt and intelligence, and it is appriciated. Clooney plays Fred Friendly, Murrow's producer, who stands by his man the whole way. His preformance, I feel, has been underappriciated and is award worthy in itsself

There is a rather tedious and unnnecesary subplot involving Robert Downey Jr. and Particia Clarkson as a couple who are married and hiding it despite CBS News's rules. I found it boring and misleading, as while they are wispering at the begining of the film, one can assume that they themselves are communists.

Clooney is not a half-bad director. Prefering stationary, over-the-sholder shots, he relies heavily on the facial expressions of his actors, more so than camera trickery of unnecesary movement. Filming completely in black and white, lighting is used to the greatest effect to set the scenes and moods. One appriciates the black and white approach, and applauds Clooney for defying convention.

He is also not a half-bad writer. Writting with Grant Heslov, their script is full of dark humor, witt, and elegance. They use actual clips of the "junior senetor from Wisconsin" and one appriciates the length Clooney went to to make a movie for his father, a newman himself.

Good Night, and Good Luck is a great look at American journalism at its finest. I feel that this film should be shown in every US History class, as Murrow himself may not be credited in the text. I leave you with his famous words...good night, and good luck.