It’s a rare treat to find a film about historical events that parallels modern times without seeming arrogant and egotistical about it. A diamond in the rough has surely been found with Good Night, and Good Luck.
Director George Clooney wants you to see the parallel between the McCarthy era witch hunt for communists and the post-9/11 era witch hunt against anyone voicing dissent against the government, branding them “unpatriotic.” However, I got the sense that, as bad as Clooney wants viewers to see the parallel, he doesn’t go overboard. If you don’t pick it up, you’re still going to get a strong idea about the tenacity and vileness of Senator Joseph McCarthy’s tactics. It seems Clooney figures that if you can’t infer the parallel, you’ll at least get a history lesson, hopefully preventing us from sliding into repeating this awful past. It’s a good stance to take.
It’s not preachy and it’s not simplistic. The film is shot in glorious black and white, allowing some of the best use of contrast I’ve ever seen. The blacks are deeply black and the whites and lights stand out against them like a full moon against the night sky. This all works to Clooney’s benefit. The story motors right along and doesn’t really leave you with a traditional ending. Not everything is resolved picture perfect, but that’s life, and the struggle goes on to this day.
Memorably written and expertly shot, George Clooney continues to win me over. While this would have been a controversial pick for Best Picture, I actually think it was more deserving than Crash.
It’s a rare treat to find a film about historical events that parallels modern times without seeming arrogant and egotistical about it. A diamond in the rough has surely been found with Good Night, and Good Luck.
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