Good Night, Good Luck

Luis Caffesse said:
Wow.
What the hell am I missing here?

Must be something.... everyone I know (whose opinions I trust) seemed to really like it.
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you're missing a great film man. i can't stop saying enough good things about this movie... if you get a chance go see it... if you can't get a chance to while it's in theatres you HAVE to rent it when it comes out...
 
The movie is very relevant to our lives, which is what attracted me. I was especially pleased to hear the Murrow speech on our infatuations with celebrity-obsessed culture & entertainment, and how it will eventually make TV an entertainment delivery device rather than a learning tool.
The movie shows our country at a colossal turning point. It also reveals the ugly truth about how most Americans are allergic to any disturbing news that might disrupt their lives. Most of all, it shows a more earnest time for television before its eventual fate as "the idiot box".
For a person that was not yet alive to witness the McCarthy/Murriw standoff, it was astonishing to see a newsanchor standup to not only a Senator, but the entire cold war climate of fear and unjustice.
Modern television is everything that Murrow feared. Great film.
 
ravinesedge said:
you're missing a great film man. i can't stop saying enough good things about this movie... if you get a chance go see it... if you can't get a chance to while it's in theatres you HAVE to rent it when it comes out...
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I saw the movie, if you go back a couple of posts you'll see my reaction to it....
I guess I just didn't "get it"

It didn't really grab me. There's definitely a great movie in that story....but I just felt like they missed the mark on this one.
 
Luis Caffesse said:
I saw the movie, if you go back a couple of posts you'll see my reaction to it....
I guess I just didn't "get it"

It didn't really grab me. There's definitely a great movie in that story....but I just felt like they missed the mark on this one.
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ooops must have missed that post.. sorry man. my mistake.
 
slimjimmed said:
The movie is very relevant to our lives, which is what attracted me. I was especially pleased to hear the Murrow speech on our infatuations with celebrity-obsessed culture & entertainment, and how it will eventually make TV an entertainment delivery device rather than a learning tool.
The movie shows our country at a colossal turning point. It also reveals the ugly truth about how most Americans are allergic to any disturbing news that might disrupt their lives. Most of all, it shows a more earnest time for television before its eventual fate as "the idiot box".
For a person that was not yet alive to witness the McCarthy/Murriw standoff, it was astonishing to see a newsanchor standup to not only a Senator, but the entire cold war climate of fear and unjustice.
Modern television is everything that Murrow feared. Great film.
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I agree that it's a turning point in America, and an important (and obviously timely) story... but I can't help but feel that everyone seems to like this movie based on the subject matter alone.

I have to say I found the script to be really lacking. The characters weren't really developed in any meaningful way, and a few story threads were introduced and then just dropped.

Like I said earlier, I love the history...the story which the movie chronicles is a fascinating one in real life. The movie didn't seem to capitalize on that much at all... and I can't help but feel that it's reviews are linked more to the politics than the production itself.
 
you know, i haven't seen it yet, but i went ahead and rented GUILTY BY SUSPICION to prep me for that movie. but i think i know what you're talking about,like i said to Ravinesedge i saw NORTH COUNTRY good movie but something was missing... for me that is
 
It may simply have been the budget limitations...but I just felt like it was missing some scope.
I never got a real feel of what it was like to live during that time.

Again, don't get me wrong, the movie hit every note in the story it was telling...but I guess to me the advantage to telling a fictionalized narrative of historical events is to really be able to pull me into that period, and this one just didn't do that for me.

Shame to hear that about North Country, I've been really curious to see it.
 
I thought this movie made some good points about society and the media. Clooney was able to get his message to the viewer.

As far as over all scope, I'm with Luis. I don't think the movie gave a true sense of the era. It was missing intensity. I never felt like Murrow was in any great danger. I didn't even feel like he would be black listed. With all that was going on back then, the trials, the finger pointing, blacklisting, etc., I thought Clooney could have added a lot more to this film.

I still thought it was good, but I felt like it could have been better.
 
Just caught this last night....

I agree with you wookie luis, it just wasn't a home run. The material was a wonderful choice and the ideas brought forth are very timely for americans but it just didn't knock it out of the park.

To be honest I found myself glazing over at sections.

I like a little flash in movies and a score. I've never seen a brilliant score hurt a movie and I think this flick would have been improved with a brilliant score- maybe they didn't have a brilliant score but i think they shoud have tried.

I also like color--I know everyone is gunna think I'm a wanker but color just looks way fu*kin better that B&W. They didn't have to torture me with B&W all the way through just to use old news clips.

I loved, repeat, love confessions. This one felt like some of the air leaked out before I saw it.

-rook
 
Finally caught this a couple days ago. I understand where Luis is coming from, but overall I enjoyed the movie. Would definitely have liked to learn a bit more about Murrow... but I guess I was thinking it was a movie about Murrow rather than a movie about how Murrow brought down McCarthy. I think I see the point of the married couple subplot, but it just didn't feel right since neither character really does much of anything.

I've gone back and forth on the black and white thing. It really seemed to set the mood... but on the other hand I'd love to get a sense of what things looked like in the studio etc. for these people... the colors of the clothing etc. Murrow and company saw things in color (obviously) and watched TV in black and white. This contrast of two worlds would have been interesting to see in the movie as well... for example: Murrow in studio in color vs. Murrow in black and white as seen on TV.

I also didn't enjoy watching many of the clips twice. We often would see a clip in the screening room only to re-watch it during the broadcast. The clip from the code room worker's hearing comes immediately to mind, as well as the air force guy.

Regardless, I recommend this one for sure.
 
Caught this last night in the UK. Man what a great movie, clooney rocks and so does David. It was about time they did something about this..
 
PHP: 
 It was about time they did something about this..


Huh?


I loved it too but i was very annoyed with the opening history lesson in scrolling text. I assumed that most Americans who are going to see this film already know the history but maybe not.

Also i didn't care much for the jazz/blues intermissions scattered throughout the movie. Give me more Strathairn.
 
Not to be the hater in the room. But I think this film is over-rated.

Granted, it looks fantastic. Anytime I can see black and white done well and to good effect I'm happy.

Granted. The performances are good.

Granted. The dialogue is good. Some nice snappy comments.

But there is no Drama! It felt like I was watching a really good re-enactment on the History Channel. There was no heightened sense of tension. We know where this is going. We know how it ends. And there are no surprises in between. No revelations. For the most part, just the act of someone of principle and conviction speaking up finally dooms McCarthy. You can't tell me it was that easy to bring the man down. And that he didn't fight back harder than portrayed in the film. If this is exactly how it happened, please let me know and I'll hush up.

I feel like this is a movie that is riding high on its politics rather than providing a gripping story. Not that there's anything wrong with make a film that is simply entertaining and good. But that's all it is.

P.S. I did like the film. And I agree with the underlying message whole-heartedly.
 
I am about 45 minutes unto this picture (Started it at 13:00 am last night) am really like it so far. The subject matter is timely (No Poli, I know) and the drama is gripping. I'll give a more detailed thought after I view it.

One thing howver is the Photography; although wonderfully lighted I find the Mis-en-scene and coverage very basic in an almost News Documentary way.

Yes yes yes

Perhaps it is intended; I do not know, that they are new gatherers but I do not think this style serves the story well. I find it too frantic at times.

I liken it to my kind of style only when I am in a hurry. Hand-Held, let's get the shot's and move on..

I don;t know. I guess I am saying 'Wow! Wonderfully lit but the style itself is 'Blah'
 
Just saw it tonight. Real good movie. Actually really liked the message of this movie, and see how the decline of television has really happened. I did like the lighting, but as Hudson mentioned, the camerawork was too news documentary. Lots of tight shots, and handheld stuff. It could have been more traditional and been much better IMO... still recommend the movie, and enjoyed it a lot! Good night, and good luck.
 
I have very mixed feelings after watching this film

I'll preface by saying 'One of the most overrated films in recent memory'

How this film was nominated for Best Director, Picture and Screenplay is beyond me.

Although I enjoyed the performances I found ALL OF THEM to be very subdued and lacking any range or resonance. As I mentioned earlier, the camerawork is really uninspiring and why the decision to shoot Black and White I have no idea. I find that distracting more than anything (Unless it's Schindler's or Young Frankenstien)

Half the story it seems is told with the Jazz transitions and/or newsreel footage. There are zero locations other than the newsroom it seems, and it felt very claustophobic with the limited locations

Something tells me the timeleness of the material is part of the hype (The Patriot Act and Wiretapping and overstepping constutiional rights for example; no poli!)

Something also tells me Hollywood is jumping on Clooney's jock for whatever reasons (Who knows)

-

My opinion is that this was an important moment in journalism and America and it is nice to see the subject matter brought back into our memories but you're not missing anything if you miss this film

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I really like the direction Clooney is headed; I hate his romantic comedy side, love his action side and cannot stand anything he does with Soderberg so this is cool in that respect.

I can think of alot more films this year that could've been nom'd for the high ticket categories and this ain't one of them

3 out of 5 Hudson Stars
 
John_Hudson said:
cannot stand anything he does with Soderberg so this is cool in that respect.
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Didn't Soderberg produce Good Night and Good Luck. :)

Seriously though, I appreciate the review. I purchased the DVD, but haven't had a change to watch it yet. If I could just get rid of that family .... :)
 
John_Hudson said:
'One of the most overrated films in recent memory'
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I was actually contemplating letting this film and my feelings regarding it go by without me feeling the need to chime in, but this comment from Hudson is something that I cannot just overlook. In fact, it is such an understatement that it needs to be quoted again:

John_Hudson said:
'One of the most overrated films in recent memory'
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I saw this movie on a screener from a friend of mine and watched it with my father. The two of us together equal the most left wing combination possible (not getting into politics, just setting the mood) and we both had the exact same reaction. While this movie certainly addresses the issues surrounding the infamous broadcast and one of the first instances of extreme editorial journalism it never seems to really get off the ground running.

John_Hudson said:
'One of the most overrated films in recent memory'
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I'm going to go into more detail,but the highpoints. The acting is great, the accents are great, costume, photography, lighting, editing. So what's wrong with it?

John_Hudson said:
'One of the most overrated films in recent memory'
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It has no original story. True, if you think that the McCarthy vs. Murrow story is original then it can grasp you, but the whole McCarthy era is so completely well documented throughout written history and insofacto every single movie imaginable, why should we care about this instance.

I would challenge anyone to honestly say from a story point of view that Good Night, And Good Luck is better than the HBO film Citizen Cohn (about Roy Cohn, McCarthy's lawyer/advisor/puppetmaster) or Guilty by Suspicion (Robert DeNiro in the red scare trials).

There just is something that doesn't work about this film for me, and I think it's a shame that this film, in my humble opinion, was elevated to the status it was simply because Hollywood believes they know more about Washington than any other citizen.

John_Hudson said:
'One of the most overrated films in recent memory'
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This film ultimately says more about Hollywood's perception of America and how stupid we are rather than anything regarding the current state of political, social, or economic affairs in this country or around the world. I found it to be an insult to my intelligence and a bore to watch.

John_Hudson said:
'One of the most overrated films in recent memory'
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EDIT: One last thing I gotta get in on... Still agreeing with Hudson...

John_Hudson said:
I can think of alot more films this year that could've been nom'd for the high ticket categories and this ain't one of them
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In all honesty, I thought that the Devil's Rejects was a more thought provocating film as far as societal impact. C'mon, Star Wars can't get a nomination, but this gets one? Hollywood is underestimating their audience and I hope it bites them in the ass.
 
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