Good Night, And Good Luck (Blu-ray)

During the 1940s and 50s, with the threat of communism overwhelming the USA, Senator Joseph McCarthy launched a paranoid tirade against all manner of persons, claiming that more than 200 “card carrying” communists had infiltrated the United States government. Good Night, And Good Luck tells the story of those who stood up to McCarthy and his witch hunts.

Through a series of brutal but honest spoken editorials, broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow (Strathairn) and his band of broadcasting pals, including producer Fred Friendly (Clooney), challenge the anti-communist accusations of McCarthy and attempt to expose him as a fear monger rather than national hero. However, the controversial actions against McCarthy take a serious toll on their professional and personal lives.

Clooney’s movie is very much a labour of love, and the star’s affection and passion for the 50s and its politics is evident throughout, with skilful and stylish direction and a smart script. However, Good Night, And Good Luck isn’t the most consistently thrilling movie to ever receive such glowing Academy admiration (it was nominated for six Oscars but didn’t win any), and the film lacks any real emotional intensity. Still, with a fiery central performance from Strathairn and boasting more brains than your average US political drama, Good Night, And Good Luck still manages to impress.

Shot in glorious black and white, Good Night, And Good Luck is another movie that was destined to look great in hi-def. There’s amazing depth and detail throughout, and the clarity is superb. Images are lifelike and the picture is completely free of blemishes, while the picture boasts deep blacks and a smooth finish.

The soundtrack doesn’t give the speakers a great deal to do, and the dialogue-heavy movie rarely gets the chance to incorporate the rear speakers, so overall, it’s a fairly dull experience on the audio side of things.

The special features consist of the same extras as seen on the old DVD, so there’s nothing new to shout about unfortunately.

Overall Verdict: A smart, provocative movie, and one hell of a looker on Blu-ray.

Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Director/Actor George Clooney And Writer Grant Heslov
Photo Gallery
Featurette

Reviewer: Lee Griffiths