Good Night, And Good Luck (2005)
87%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 6 Oscars
38 wins & 129 nominations total
A passionate and concise cinematic civics lesson, Good Night, And Good Luck has plenty to say about today’s political and cultural climate, and its ensemble cast is stellar
Good Night, and Good Luck is a film that will make you feel like you’re watching history unfold right before your eyes. It’s like a time machine that takes you back to the 1950s, where you can witness the bravery of Edward R. Murrow and his team as they take on Senator Joseph McCarthy. And let’s not forget the amazing performances by David Strathairn and George Clooney. This movie is a must-see for anyone who loves history, politics, or just a darn good story. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and get ready to be transported to a different era.
Production Company(ies)
Chernin Entertainment, TSG Entertainment, Turnpike Films,
Distributor
Warner Independent
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
CBS Television City – 7800 Beverly Boulevard, Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language
Year of Release
2005
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Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 33m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 7, 2005 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 14, 2006
Genre(s)
Biography
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $54,641,191
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $83,272,264
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,107
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 9,080,945
US/Canada gross: $31,558,003
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $48,093,871
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,088
US/Canada opening weekend: $421,446
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $642,277
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,346
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $7,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $10,667,883
Production budget ranking: 1,641
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,744,655
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $66,859,726
ROI to date (est.): 407%
ROI ranking: 338
Patricia Clarkson – Shirley Wershba
George Clooney – Fred Friendly
Jeff Daniels – Sig Mickelson
Robert Downey Jr. – Joe Wershba
Frank Langella – William Paley
Grant Heslov – Producer
George Clooney – Writer, Director
David Strathairn – Self
Patricia Clarkson – Self
George Clooney – Self
Jeff Daniels – Self
Robert Downey Jr. – Self
Frank Langella – Self
Director(s)
George Clooney
Writer(s)
George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Producer(s)
Grant Heslov
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 6 Oscars
38 wins & 129 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (225) | Top Critics (59) | Fresh (210) | Rotten (15)
In terms of historical content, the film is neither quite honest nor quite true. That’s a shame, because it’s a great film.
February 12, 2020
Zadie Smith
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Shorn of flash and dazzle in a way Murrow would appreciate, Good Night, and Good Luck practises what it preaches. It might be the result of wires and lights in a box, but it feels like a slice of life.
September 26, 2017
Victoria Segal
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
Provocative, principled and richly detailed, this is compelling stuff. Emotionally it(TM)s a little dry, but as brain-food, it(TM)s absolutely invigorating. George done good.
February 27, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Simon Crook
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A solid achievement.
October 14, 2006 | Rating: B+
Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor
TOP CRITIC
That it’s a film both timely and timeless goes without saying. Yet Clooney is too canny a storyteller to let didacticism obscure the complexities of Murrow’s character.
July 1, 2006
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
It’s a modest but powerful affair, and a fantastic mood piece.
June 24, 2006
Dave Calhoun
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
A powerful film for family viewing that could open the door to discussions about family, friendship, loyalty, politics, and a variety of other topics.
September 9, 2020 | Rating: 4.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
…an odd but fitting companion piece to Capote.
May 7, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
Documentary realism keeps Good Night from collapsing into a morality tale. McCarthy plays himself, in hair-raising video footage from his witch-hunt hearings.
October 17, 2019
Brian D. Johnson
Maclean’s Magazine
A film that engages the mind and the heart in ways that few films do.
June 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
Mattie Lucas
The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)
Though the subject matter is serious, Good Night, and Good Luck bristles with humor and intelligence. You want “Must See TV”? Here it is.
January 30, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Nanciann Cherry
Toledo Blade
Good Night and Good Luck will make my 10-best list. It’s unquestionably one of the best films of the year.
January 5, 2018 | Rating: A-
Joel Siegel
Good Morning America…
Plot
In the early 1950’s, the threat of Communism created an air of paranoia in the United States and exploiting those fears was Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. However, CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred W. Friendly decided to take a stand and challenge McCarthy and expose him for the fear monger he was. However, their actions took a great personal toll on both men, but they stood by their convictions and helped to bring down one of the most controversial senators in American history.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The ensemble cast of Good Night, and Good Luck is described as “stellar” by Fresh Kernels.
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