Goodnight, and Good Luck (2005) REVIEW

Every year during Awards Season, I find myself in somewhat of an Oscar's frenzy. This mainly consists of binge watching Academy Awards Ceremony from years past and seeing some of the most celebrated movies win their awards as they happened. I came across one video showing the awarding of Best Actor at the 78th Academy Awards in 2005. The actors nominated for this award were as strong a group of nominees as I have ever seen: Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote), Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain), Terence Howard (Hustle & Flow), and Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line). The final name, David Strathairn (Goodnight, and Good Luck), was unfamiliar to me. He is one of those actors whose face I have seen on the big screen numerous times, but with whom my recognition goes no further. A clip was shown along with the announcement of his nomination, showing Strathairn's compelling performance in the true story of famed journalist Edward R. Murrow. The clip could not have been more than ten seconds long, but I immediately sensed this film's importance and I knew I needed to see it as soon as possible.

If you managed to stay awake for any part of your high school U.S. history course, you no doubt came across the name of Senator Joseph McCarthy. During the early 1950's, the now infamous senator from Wisconsin had much of the country gripped with fear and paranoia, with his government-led witch hunt for communists and their sympathizers. Few were willing to take on the senator for his ruthless and often unethical tactics, for fear that they too would become victims of the witch hunt. Edward Murrow, portrayed by Strathairn, did not fall into this category, and, instead, fearlessly critiqued "The Red Scare" and McCarthy, its ringleader.

Directed by and starring George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck is as fine a historical drama as one will ever see; and I do not believe I'm being hyperbolic in saying that. In the same vein as All the President's Men, it shows exactly how the media challenges those in power, and just how severe the risks of doing so can be. Also, for all you journalism students, it shows exactly what good and ethical journalism is. Strathairn portrays Murrow how any respectable television journalist should be, as a stone wall of emotions. In one scene where Murrow is publicly responding to scathing accusations made against him by McCarthy, Murrow keeps his composure, his expression as stoic as a Roman statue. Yet, there exists an unmistakable intensity in his voice, letting the audience know that beneath the professionalism and television makeup there lies a human being. It is incredibly difficult for an actor to subtly infer such powerful emotions. Strathairn accomplishes this with ease.

George Clooney, more notable for the roles he has played, is also a very talented and visionary director, which is revealed in the production and writing of this film. The lighting in Goodnight, and Good Luck is one of its most striking features. Since it is a black and white movie, lighting choices are key in establishing mood and drawing the attention of the audience. Arguably, the best of these choices occur whenever Murrow is live on T.V. Bright lights illuminate his face, but not overwhelmingly so, which gives the viewer an incredibly intimate feeling. You almost begin to believe that this broadcast, which occurred over sixty years ago, is being filmed exclusively for you. Strathairn possesses a mesmerizing speaking voice, one that sounds like it should be announcing a baseball game in 1930's New York. During broadcast scenes, Murrow will often say something to the effect of, "We want you to know exactly what we mean when we say something." Thanks to a brilliant script by Clooney and Grant Heslov, we know exactly what all the characters mean, even if that is not their intention.

Upon watching this movie, I do believe that this is one of the most relevant movies of our time. We know how the new president and his administration feel about the media, especially those who decide to critique it. Murrow, his staff, and many others during this time faced a similar kind of opposition from McCarthy and those like him. Every American knows about the freedom of speech and of the press, but few can comprehend how easily these freedoms can be tampered with in the name of national security. This is not a matter of choosing a side of the political aisle; rather, it is a reminder that freedom of the press is, or at least ought to be, a bi-partisan issue. It exists at the heart of every respectable democracy. That is not to say that the word of the media is infallible, and that journalists never make mistakes. However, problems in the media will not be fixed by a complete shunning of it. Many Americans have the mindset that embarrassing events, such as "The Red Scare", were mistakes of the past, and that we are now too educated and bright to make the same mistakes. Two days ago, CNN, The New York Times, and several other media outlets were barred from a White House briefing. "First they came for the Socialists..."

To those who say that the media should only provide news free of editorializing, Edward Murrow, played by David Strathairn, provides the perfect response. "I simply cannot accept there are, on every story, two equal and logical sides to an argument", says Murrow. I can not confirm whether Murrow actually uttered this quote, or if it is just a dramatization. That, however, does not take away from its accuracy. After all, not everyone agrees on one truth.

I want to make it known that the message behind this movie is not what makes it great. Many films contain messages, sometimes political, and are resounding failures. No, what makes this film great is that the viewer gets a real sense of the struggles that these journalists faced by taking on one senator. Not the president, but one senator from a state they did not even live in. Many might say that they would have stood up to McCarthy's rhetoric, but once they see what those who stood up went through, I do believe that many would choose silence instead. Goodnight, and Good Luck is one of those rare films that people will continue to reference whenever the personal liberties of citizens and the media are threatened. As long as there are those in power who wish to label dissent as "not American", this film will live on.