There was a time, in its infancy, when TV was viewed as a great crusading tool. Essentially a lost art these days - although some documentaries still serve to shock and educate - George Clooney's movie revisits one of the small screens greatest triumphs. Set in the early '50s, the film follows respected journalist Edward R. Murrow's (David Strathairn) epic battle with fear-mongering US Senator Joseph McCarthy over the tactics the latter used as he sought to purge the US of communists and those sympathetic to their cause. Using his weekly news show \"See It Now\" to draw attention to McCarthy's bullying and lies, Murrow sets out to enlighten the public but it's not long before McCarthy turns his attention to the broadcaster and his team.The first thing that strikes you about \"Good Night, And Good Luck\" is just how well the movie captures the period in which it is set. That may be largely thanks to the fact that Clooney's dad is a former TV newsman and young George certainly spent plenty of time in and around his place of work. Shot in black and white, the film is fogged in a smoky haze (everyone smokes like a chimney!) while the movie is punctuated by smooth jazz interludes from Dianne Reeves. Performance wise, the film is very, very strong. Strathairn is quietly mesmerising in the lead, easily capturing Murrow's authority and intensity while Clooney provides able support as his pal and producer Fred Friendly. But the real masterstroke is Clooney's decision to, instead of using an actor, use stock footage to show viewers the real McCarthy so no accusations of misrepresentation of the Senator can be levelled.Thought-provoking and timely, \"Good Night, And Good Luck\" deserves both the plaudits it's getting and our attention.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>","fnc":"googleTrackerHelper.doTrackPage( '\/'Good-Night,-And-Good-Luck-film_options~15754'\/Reviews\/ViewAll\/1' );"}