Only an ignorant fool would think that McCarthyism was a good thing. Although I'm as anti-Communism as I am pro-Capitalism, McCarthyism was nothing more than a witchhunt (which is why it inspired Arthur Miller to write "The Crucible"), and it managed to make things miserable for those who didn't agree with Joe McCarthy's narrow-minded politics. At the same time, it successfully stroked the considerable ego of Senator McCarthy, a man who believed that anyone less than an ultra-conservative was the equivalent of being a treasonous Communist. To put it mildly, the guy was a total asshole.
"Good Night, and Good Luck" has been accused of being politically one-sided, but I disagree. This movie isn't about Republican vs. Democrat or liberal vs. conservative, it's the true story of a news organization that did battle with a power-hungry politician who was doing really bad things, a man on a personal crusade, exploiting his power to do some pretty messed up shit. To say that this movie is one-sided is to say that the other side of the argument can make valid points, and that's not the case with McCarthyism. McCarthyism was wrong, period. It's not like "Fahrenheit 9/11," where a liberal extremist told lies and half-truths in an effort to sway the election (just so we're clear, I'm NOT a fan of GWB, and I didn't vote for him, but the movie was bullshit).
In case you don't know, "Good Night, and Good Luck" tells the story of Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy's misguided campaign against Communism by exposing supposed Communists in the United States, and how CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred Friendly (yes, that was his real name) stood up to him. The man responsible for this supposedly controversial film is George Clooney. He directed it and he co-wrote the screenplay. This is his second feature film as director, the first being "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," a movie I liked quite a bit. He's also one of two people who directed episodes of the HBO TV series, "Unscripted," which was also really good (it gave me a whole new respect for struggling actors... my God, the shit they go through). George Clooney directed the first half of the series, and the second half was directed by Grant Heslov. I mention this because Heslov wrote "Good Night, and Good Luck" with Clooney. I know Heslov mostly from his acting work, as he's had character roles in "The Scorpion King," "Enemy of the State," "The Birdcage," "Black Sheep," "True Lies," and many other films and TV shows.
"Good Night, and Good Luck" is the first produced feature film screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov. They're both rookies, but the script is excellent. It's very talkie, but the dialogue is very interesting, reminiscent of David Mamet (but without all the f-words). The dialogue comes across as very real, to the point that I'm wondering if there was a lot of improvisation (which wouldn't surprise me, since the show "Unscripted" was almost completely improvised). On top of that, the story seems to have been thoroughly researched, though it probably helps that George Clooney's father is former newscaster and Cincinnati talk show host, Nick Clooney, which no doubt helped add some authenticity to the script. I have a lot of respect for George Clooney. He's a really good actor, he does a great job choosing roles, and his work as a director is terrific. Now I can say I like his work as a writer, too. It'll be interesting to see if this movie gets any attention during Oscar season. I hope so. It's certainly warranted.
The pivotal role of Edward R. Murrow is played by veteran character actor David Strathairn. You may not know the name, but you probably know the face. He's had tons of work over the years, but I remember him mostly from "L.A. Confidential," "A League of Their Own," and Dolores Claiborne." His performance in this film is Oscar-worthy, he BECOMES Ed Murrow. Seriously, an Oscar nomination is practically guaranteed. George Clooney plays producer Fred Friendly, and it's fun to see the two characters play off of each other. It's clear that they both like each other and have a tremendous amount of respect for each other, and the fact that they're so totally different makes their camaraderie all the more endearing. Murrow is a very dry person, perhaps even surly. Also, the guy practically never smiles. Fred Friendly, on the other hand, is... well, friendly. He's all smiles, and he lightens the mood of those around him. Watching them together is fascinating. The role of Joe McCarthy is played by McCarthy himself, as all the footage of him is taken from media archives. That was a fantastic idea, adding authenticity to the film, and making the guy seem even scarier, since you know that the stuff coming out of his mouth is stuff he really said.
The rest of the cast is a who's who of respected actors you've seen before. They include Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Frank Langella (he was also in "Unscripted"), Jeff Daniels, Ray Wise, Tate Donovan, Robert John Burke (he was also in "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind"), and others. There isn't a weak link in the bunch, this is an extremely well-acted movie.
If I were a betting man, I'd bet that "Good Night, and Good Luck" will be the movie to beat during Oscar season, and it wouldn't be a fluke. Don't be surprised if David Strathairn wins for Best Actor or if George Clooney wins for Best Director. The nominations haven't even been announced yet, but I can't think of anyone else who so clearly deserves those awards this year. "Good Night, and Good Luck" is an awesome movie, and unless you're a freak who thinks McCarthyism was a swell idea, you should definitely see this movie.
Scale of 1-10: 9