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Movies / On DVD / Good Night. And, Good Luck
Good Night. And, Good Luck

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Good Night. And, Good Luck (2005)

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Reviews Counted:40

Fresh:38

Rotten:2

Average Rating:8.2/10

Consensus: This is a passionate and concise civics lesson from the past, arriving with much political and cultural relevance to today.

Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Oct 7, 2005 Limited

Box Office: $31,501,218

Synopsis: With GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, George Clooney delivers a riveting account of a crucial chapter in 20th-century American history and, in the process, firmly establishes himself as a major force... With GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, George Clooney delivers a riveting account of a crucial chapter in 20th-century American history and, in the process, firmly establishes himself as a major force behind the camera as well. The crisply paced, tautly scripted docudrama recounts the events of the mid-1950s leading up to acclaimed CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow's (David Strathairn) decision to stand up against fiery Senator Joseph McCarthy, who was out to rid the country of communism. McCarthy's seemingly reckless behavior, in which he condemned individuals without giving them a fair trial, angered Murrow and his producer Fred Friendly (Clooney) into action. The resulting few episodes of Murrow's show, SEE IT NOW, found Murrow on a personal, patriotic crusade to challenge McCarthy and rid America of his callous persecution. Set almost entirely inside the smoke-filled, pressurized newsrooms at CBS, Clooney's assured picture moves at a breakneck pace. Cinematographer Robert Elswit miraculously recreates the black-and-white look of that era, giving the film an added air of legitimacy. And while Clooney and co-screenwriter/producer Grant Heslov wisely chose to use stock footage of McCarthy instead of finding an actor to fill his shoes, they couldn't have found a better Murrow than Strathairn, who delivers his lines with heroic conviction. Clooney's stellar ensemble cast also includes Ray Wise, Patricia Clarkson, Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Daniels, and Frank Langella. [More]

Starring: David Strathairn, Robert Downey, Patricia Clarkson, Rose Abdoo

Starring: David Strathairn, Robert Downey, Patricia Clarkson, Rose Abdoo, Alex Borstein, Robert John Burke, Ray Wise, Frank Langella, Jeff Daniels, Tate Donovan, Tom McCarthy, George Clooney

Director: George Clooney

Director: George Clooney
Screenwriter: George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Producer: Grant Heslov
Studio: Warner Independent

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Release:

Mar 14, 2006

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Reviews for Good Night. And, Good Luck

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... 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 Source: New York Magazine | comment Comment
12/09/05
Ken Tucker
Ken Tucker
New York Magazine
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Rarely moving a facial muscle except to exhale smoke and brimstone, Strathairn wonderfully recaptures Murrow's deadpan delivery style.

Full Review Source: San Jose Mercury News | comment Comment
10/29/05
Bruce Newman
Bruce Newman
San Jose Mercury News
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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 Source: Chicago Reader | comment 2 Comments
10/29/05
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
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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 Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
10/28/05
Peter Howell
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
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Good Night, and Good Luck may be simplified history, but it's almost consistently well-crafted.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
10/28/05
Liam Lacey
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
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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 Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/21/05
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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Mr. Strathairn does capture much of Murrow's formal manner, particularly the measured cadences of his sentences.

Full Review Source: New York Observer | comment Comment
10/20/05
Andrew Sarris
Andrew Sarris
New York Observer
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A sleek broadcast journalism procedural.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
10/20/05
Michael Phillips
Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
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Clooney makes an elegant argument that something of vital interest is still at stake in this story. It would take a stubborn soul to disagree.

Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
10/14/05
Lisa Kennedy
Lisa Kennedy
Denver Post
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Good Night, and Good Luck stands, tall, solid, impressive and expressive joining not only the best films about journalism, but also those about real Americans.

Full Review Source: Detroit Free Press | comment Comment
10/14/05
Terry Lawson
Terry Lawson
Detroit Free Press
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The sad conclusion of Good Night is that while we have made no more room for Murrows in this world, the potential for McCarthys lingers. In which case, good luck indeed.

Full Review Source: Detroit News | comment Comment
10/14/05
Tom Long
Tom Long
Detroit News
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As an actor, George Clooney is often compared with vintage stars like Cary Grant, but with his latest work he aligns himself with history's great directors.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
10/14/05
Amy Biancolli
Amy Biancolli
Houston Chronicle
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Do you respect the corporate line or do you cross it? Clooney, who in his life wears the hats both of the entertainer and the 'actorvist,' gives us an intelligent, electric film that knows this question is as timely now as it was for Murrow.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | comment Comment
10/14/05
Carrie Rickey
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
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I'm betting David Strathairn, who plays Murrow with a sense of wry self-awareness, will be nominated for an Academy Award.

Full Review Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News | comment Comment
10/14/05
Robert Denerstein
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News
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Mr. Clooney doesn't sacrifice story and theme for sermonizing, which is perhaps Good Night's most impressive feat.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
10/13/05
Chris Vognar
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
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Clooney, who gained weight to play Murrow's producer, Fred Friendly, has made a solid film and his sense of humor remains intact.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
10/13/05
Bill Muller
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic
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We're not sure if Strathairn is playing Murrow or channeling him. Either way, we're impressed.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
10/13/05
Jeff Strickler
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Stirring yet understated.

Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
10/13/05
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Part docu-drama, part thriller, and part cautionary tale, the movie offers something to everyone who craves more than escapism from the cinema.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
10/13/05
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
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I found it to be one of most intelligent and insightful movies ever made about the television news business and about the profoundly un-American practice of labeling dissenters as traitors.

Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | comment Comment
10/11/05
Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper
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