Good Night, and Good Luck Movie Review 2005

Nearly flawless portrayals and script combine with smoky black and white shooting to transport you back to the McCarthy era, where television newsman Edward R. Murrow (Strathairn) faces off with Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. Murrow is pressured to back down, but he and CBS staff are intent on exposing McCarthy's fear-based witch-hunt for communist activity. McCarthy plays his own role by way of archival footage; performances by Jeff Daniels and Robert Downey Jr. don't disappoint. A labor of love for George Clooney, he co-wrote and directed, and plays Fred Friendly, Murrow's producer at CBS. Though spare, the dialogue and acting create a scene and mood that, whether you remember the era or not, makes it completely real and utterly believable.

Distribution

Warner Home Video, Inc., 5775 Linder Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA 91362, URL: http://whv.warnerbros.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on DVD
Running time 93 minutes.
Originally from United States, British, French, Japanese.

Cast and Crew

Genres

True Stories, Historical Drama, Mass Media, Politics, Period Piece: 1950s, Recycled Footage/Redubbed Dialogue, News at 11, Patriotism & Paranoia

Screenplay

George Clooney, Grant Heslov

Cast

David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey, Frank Langella, Ray Wise, Robert John Burke, Reed Edward Diamond, Tate Donovan, Grant Heslov, Tom McCarthy, Matt Ross, Alex Borstein, Peter Jacobson, Rob Knepper, Dianne Reeves, Rose Abdoo, John David (J.D.) Cullum, Glenn Morshower

Cinematography

Robert Elswit

Director

George Clooney

Other

Edward Tise, Allen Sviridoff, Stephen Mirrione, Christa Munro, Louise Frogley, James Bissell

Producer

Grant Heslov, Warner Independent Pictures

Awards

Ind. Spirit 2006: Cinematog.; L.A. Film Critics 2005: Cinematog.; Natl. Bd. of Review 2005: Film.