Starring:
David Strathairn, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Ray Wise, Frank Langella, Tate Donovan and Jeff Daniels

Co-Writer/Director:
George Clooney

Running Time:
93 mins

Out to buy on DVD 26/06/06

• Outstanding performance from David Strathairn
• Excellent supporting cast
• Fascinating blend of archive footage and B&W cinematography
• George Clooney is a true talent

• The Robert Downey Jr. and Patricia Clarkson subplot is unnecessary

"We're going after McCarthy"

During the early 1950s, suspicion and fear gripped the American government that Communism may get a foothold in their country. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin fuelled the paranoia by chairing congressional hearings were he would publicly question those he thought has ties with Communists. CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow (Strathairn) and his producer Fred W. Friendly (Clooney) decided to take a stand and expose the junior senator of fear mongering and violating constitutional rights.

George Clooney is becoming one of the most versatile and diverse filmmakers working in Hollywood today and 'Good Night, and Good Luck' proves this.

Actor, writer, producer and director, George Clooney raise from lowly B-Movie bit player to Hollywood mogul is the quintessential American dream. He has had a few hiccups on the way (Batman & Robin) but now everyone takes notice of what George Clooney is doing. After the critical success of his debut feature 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' and this continuing producing partnership with Steven Soderbergh, he revealed a real talent for all aspects of cinema.

His second feature as a director sees Clooney takes on subject that changed how television news and journalism was perceived by the public and the media. Once the domain of impartiality, CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred W. Friendly decided to take a stand against the threat to American civil liberties and the fear mongering around the growing concern over Communists with the country. This was a landmark moment for television journalism and one that would go on to create the media we know today.

George Clooney is becoming just as well known for his political opinions, as he is his filmmaking. While the film maybe set in the early 1950s, the issues that Edward R. Murrow and the team on the CBS show 'See It Now' raise in the movie are still relevant today. The communist threat maybe gone but the threat of international terrorism is rife and a clear and present danger, with the march of US led democracy taking the fight to those countries it sees as harbouring these criminals. Were the film is still relevant is the fact that anyone who publicly disagrees with current US political and military policy then they are vilified and labelled as unpatriotic. As Murrow did in the fifties, Clooney strives for the same things in the new millennium by fighting for the rights of everyone to have personal opinions and beliefs, using history to get his point across.

For his second directorial feature, George Clooney has gathered together a heady ensemble cast. Leading the line is an outstanding performance from David Strathairn. The actor has always been a support actor of note but this is his chance to shine in a leading role that could be career defining. One of the pivotal figures in media history, Edward R. Murrow was always going to be a larger than life character to play but Strathairn almost channels the great man, recreating his groundbreaking CBS News commentary and screen presence. Supporting him are accomplished actors that bring integrity to the story the director wants to tell. Frank Langella is exactly how you'd expect CBS owner William Paley to be. Robert Downey Jr. and Patricia Clarkson are very good as the married couple that have to keep their relationship quiet due to company rules. The story does seem a little unnecessary however, but this takes away nothing from their performances. Ray Wise is also outstanding as newsreader Don Hollenbeck. Throw in Jeff Daniels, Thomas McCarthy, Tate Donovan and George Clooney himself as producer Fred Friendly and you have an excellent ensemble.

Shot in black and white, Clooney and his team cleverly interweaves actual archival footage of Senator Joseph McCarthy into the movie to make it very authentic. You can't help thinking that this must have been a very easy script for George Clooney and Grant Heslov to write however as there are quite a few pieces of footage in the film and Murrow's commentaries were written by him and his CBS team. It is the moments off screen that is were the film comes into its own however because while the social commentary might be the main emphasis, it is the repercussions of Murrow's and CBS's stance against the junior senator that the film will be remembered for.

With 'Good Night, and Good Luck' George Clooney has proved that he is one of current shining lights of cinema and a filmmaker that is becoming one of the most influential in Hollywood. His visual style and real sense for all things cinema means that he is well on the way to becoming a true tinsel town great.