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David Strathairn, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Frank Langella ... see more see more... , Jeff Daniels , Ray Wise , Tate Donovan , Tom McCarthy , Matt Ross , Reed Diamond , Robert John Burke , Grant Heslov , JD Cullum , Robert Knepper , Glenn Morshower , Dianne Reeves , Peter Jacobson , Don Creech , Alex Borstein , Simon Helberg , Rose Abdoo , Helen Slayton-Hughes

George Clooney pays homage to one of the icons of American broadcast journalism, Edward R. Murrow, in this fact-based drama, which was Clooney's second feature film as a director. In 1953, Edward R. M... read more read more...urrow (played by David Strathairn) was one of the best-known newsmen on television as host of both the talk show Person to Person and the pioneering investigate series See It Now. Joseph McCarthy, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, was generating no small amount of controversy in the public and private sectors with his allegations that Communists had risen to positions of power and influence in America, and an Air Force pilot, Milo Radulovich, had been drummed out of the service due to McCarthy's charges that he was a Communist agent. However, Radulovich had been dismissed without a formal hearing of the charges, and he protested that he was innocent of any wrongdoing. Murrow decided to do a story on Radulovich's case questioning the legitimacy of his dismissal, which was seen by McCarthy and his supporters as an open challenge to his campaign. McCarthy responded by accusing Murrow of being a Communist, leading to a legendary installment of See It Now in which both Murrow and McCarthy presented their sides of the story, which was seen by many as the first step toward McCarthy's downfall. Meanwhile, Murrow had to deal with CBS head William Paley (Frank Langella), who was supportive of Murrow but extremely wary of his controversial positions, while Murrow was also trying to support fellow newsman Don Hollenbeck (Ray Wise), battling charges against his own political views, and working alongside Fred Friendly (George Clooney), the daring head of CBS News. Good Night, and Good Luck also stars Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, and Robert John Burke; the film won Best Film honors after its world premiere at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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73% liked it

136,958 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

214 critics

PG, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: George Clooney

Release Date: October 7, 2005

Keywords: historical, white, little, short

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DVD Release Date: March 14, 2006

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Flixster Reviews (7,169)

  • spielberg00
    February 2, 2012
    spielberg00
    Forgetting the flaws stylistically moves to the relevance of the film, which seems 100%. The performance of David Strathairn as our key character matches up directly with the image that comes to mind when we try to imagine a 1950s broadcast journalist: straightforward and strict... read morely serious. Furthermore, there is the smoking, which in this film, may be a bit too noticeable. If one were to gather this filmā(TM)s entire ninety minutes and splice out every second that did not present cigarette smoke wafting its way through the air, I guarantee the spliced-out footage would not add up to a mere sixty seconds. The fact that the more recent MPAA certified such a smoky with a PG rating and failed to include the word āsmokingā? in the explanation, is purely ridiculous.
  • SarahG1988
    January 20, 2012
    SarahG1988
    A brilliant depiction of a controversial chapter of American history. Wonderful direction quick script and an excellent performance by David Strathairn. Contains tiny little flaws such as; parts of the plot are a little unclear-other than that well worth the watch.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    January 8, 2012
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "We will not walk in fear of one another."

    Broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow looks to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy.

    REVIEW

    Good Night, and Good Luck is a brilliant piece of film maki... read moreng, a film that recreates a period in American history when gossip mongers and fear exploiters took the lead for a terrifying few years that threatened to extinguish civil rights forever. Not unlike now! And that is one reason this film carries so much resonance: the story of the bravery of popular news reporter Edward R. Morrow (David Strathairn) and his associates Fred Friendly (George Clooney), Joe and Shirley Wershba (Robert Downey, Jr. and Patricia Clarkson), William Paley (Frank Langella) and the crew at CBS is one that begs for re-creation in the way the news is reported, analyzed, and serves the rights of the public to be truly informed.

    The story is the 1950s McCarthyism Communist Hunting that terrified the country unchecked until Morrow et al challenged the Senator's accusations and methodology by simply quoting the statements McCarthy made in the television series See It Now. Morrow and his associates did not elect to smear McCarthy: they instead elected to bring to the public's quivering attention just what the sick mind of McCarthy was doing to innocent people. It was an act of bravery on Morrow's part and on the part of everyone connected with See It Now.

    George Clooney continues to impress as a quiet, subtle voice who doesn't seek the limelight for his brilliant mind, but rather uses it to enter the arena of emerging patriots - the good kind. He wrote the script with Grant Heslov after much research and investigation and then gathered a gifted crew of actors (including himself) and directed the film using the atmosphere of black and white photography (credit cinematographer Robert Elswit) in the almost exclusively interior claustrophobic set of the television station to give the ring of honesty that pulsates this story to its powerful end. Strathairn is brilliant as Morrow, but then so are all the cast members in this ensemble effort.
  • RossCollinsUK
    November 22, 2011
    RossCollinsUK
    An interesting study into serious journalism with the sparring over ideas between the articulate broadcaster Edward Murrow and commie-hunter Senator McCarthy and Murrow's belief in the importance of airing such information rather than using television to distract, delude, amuse a... read morend insulate us. Other than that the story is pretty thin and the drama somewhat lacking, a bit more docu than drama.
  • danperry17
    May 30, 2011
    danperry17
    I really enjoyed this film, though I'm starting to think that I waited too long to review it, because why I liked it is already fading away. I think mainly, it was its sparseness, and its flawless hearkening back to grand old Hollywood - a feat that even the Coens couldn't achiev... read moree when they dabbled in black-and-white.

    Above all, it told another side of the story of McCarthyism, a dark period in American history. The freedom of the press is always an exciting battle to watch, and in this film, George Clooney sounds the right note. Not a mind-blower, but definitely worth seeing.
  • stevenecarrier
    March 21, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    "Good Night, and Good Luck." is a docudrama, a historical document and a thriller. It's shot in glorious black and white but it's the small directorial flourishes (George Clooney is a tour de force director) and lens work (the great Robert Elswit is DP) that make the film viscera... read morel and immediate. The themes of government, censorship, media and character assassination are all still extremely relevant today, making the film, which is set in the 1950s, feel as modern as anything currently at the cinema. The acting is top notch with David Strathairn, obviously, standing out. This is a unique, enthralling, miracle of a movie.
  • DreamExtractor
    February 27, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    This movie was astonishing, how they can take us through history in a newsroom
  • ythelastman89
    January 26, 2011
    ythelastman89
    I loved the use of found footage combined with performance based footage. It's really interesting to see the two interact, especially when it's such a memorable time in history. While at times this can feel drawn out, I really do think it has a great message about American Freedo... read morem. It thrives on its performances and it delivers on that for the most part, but I really didn't find Jason Strathairn to be all that good. However, Robert Downey Jr. and George Clooney are good enough to compensate for that issue.
  • smith44
    February 5, 2010
    smith44
    Historical Journalism At It's Best. An historical story of one man's struggle against evil, 'The only thing for evil to prevail is if good men do nothing'. A film that is neither Left nor Right, but rather about good journalism. The ultimate quest for TV to be informative not jus... read moret entertaining.
  • cosmo313
    November 21, 2009
    cosmo313
    Gorgeous looking perod piece that perfectly nails the look, feel, and atmosphere of news networks in the 1950's. Like, Network, this film makes statements about televised news and information, its power, and how television can either make us zombies, or help us. Unlike Network t... read morehough, this film is not a satire, but a snapshot-a beautiful portrait on tense times. I'll admit, my attention drifted here and there, but that does not mean Clooney is at fault. It doesn't fee lke it, but there is a plot. It hardly matters though, because this film could be nothing but images and it would still be great to look at.

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Critic Reviews

Peter Rainer
October 14, 2006
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

A solid achievement. Full Review

Ken Tucker
December 9, 2005
Ken Tucker, New York Magazine

... it telescopes -- with no loss of accuracy -- Murrow's last few fifties hurrahs as the hardest diamond in Bill Paley's 'Tiffany network.' Full Review

Bruce Newman
October 29, 2005
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News

Rarely moving a facial muscle except to exhale smoke and brimstone, Strathairn wonderfully recaptures Murrow's deadpan delivery style.

Jonathan Rosenbaum
October 29, 2005
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

It's an interesting way to represent the past, though the use of space, actors, and archival footage seems more theatrical than cinematic. Full Review

Peter Howell
October 28, 2005
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Clooney continues to improve as both a writer and director, showing huge advancement from his underwhelming 2002 helming debut Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Full Review

Liam Lacey
October 28, 2005
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Good Night, and Good Luck may be simplified history, but it's almost consistently well-crafted. Full Review

Roger Moore
October 21, 2005
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

The bottom line on Good Night, and Good Luck? See it. Now. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 21, 2005
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Clooney's message is clear: Character assassination is wrong, McCarthy was a bully and a liar, and we must be vigilant when the emperor has no clothes and wraps himself in the flag. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
October 20, 2005
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

Mr. Strathairn does capture much of Murrow's formal manner, particularly the measured cadences of his sentences. Full Review

Michael Phillips
October 20, 2005
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

A sleek broadcast journalism procedural. Full Review

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  • This actor directed Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Good Night, and Good Luck.  Answer »
  • Complete the name of this George Clooney movie? Good night and good ________   Answer »
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