Good Night and Good Luck

I saw the movie last night, "Good Night and Good Luck".

It was really refreshing to watch a movie that didn' t include a single bang, boom, quick camera shot, or special effect. Just plain ole' actors doing a wonderful job performing. It really is a great movie and a must watch for anyone who is particularly politically inclined. It should be a must see in schools.

While watching, I couldn't help be reminded of the semi-satirical movie, "Network". It's like "Good Night and Good Luck" was the serious, real-life version of "Network". I think there's little doubt that Murrow's predictions about television, and television news in particular, have come to pass with the predicted damage to the country. Very prescient that man. I also don't think there's any doubt that George Clooney, who wrote the film, was making a statement of current times.

Another real positive to the movie was it's length. In fact, I actually wish the movie had been a bit longer. I'm so tired of self-important, over-indulged movie producers who take a sixty minute story and tell it in three hours. I also watched Batman Begins last night, a movie guilty of everything I complained about above. It's a classic example of a bloated movie, clocking in at one hundred and forty one minutes of milisecond camera shots, booms, bangs, and tedium.

I only had one criticism that could be likely connected with the length of Good Night and Good Luck. I've studied the McCarthy era extensively watching file footage and Murrow's reports. I know a good deal of the history of the time. For those who don't, Good Night and Good Luck may be a bit confusing. The true to life stubtly of the performances could leave anyone who is less familiar with Murrow, CBS News in the early days, McCarthy, and that era confused.

Beyond that one criticism, it's a must see movie and likely one of the years best.