I just finished watching Good Night, and Good Luck. The ending credits are still rolling.
The movie was a worthwhile view. It might have been a little on the boring side, but it was a redeeming movie.
The movie centers around the story of CBS newscaster Edward Murrow's battle against Joseph McCarthy. It deals with so many various issues. I think that might make it less entertaining than it could have been.
It focuses on the struggle of a newscaster revealing the truth, what is the proper use of television, the plight of justice in our society and the reward (or lack thereof) for those who pursue it, and the struggle to preserve individual rights in our country during a period of fear.
I was intrigued by the conversation about how television should be used. The movie proposed that it should be used for public service rather than just entertainment. I would agree, but then I do like my silly reality television shows. We have decided to allow Isaac to stay up this week and watch American Idol. It will become a new family tradition. Isaac sings all of the time, so we want to encourage him to pursue that. We also figure that he will enjoy that show. Is that using television for more than entertainment or is it justify the entertainment of television? It definitely isn't public service. By no way is American Idol a high culture program, but it does seem to be more than just entertainment.
The other area that was most interesting to me due to the research I am presently pursuing in regards to conscientious objectors in WWI and WWII was the treatment of those who are not in line with our society's way of thinking. I find the whole McCarthy era fascinating in that America actually imprisoned people who had a political posture different than the dominant view. I have come to the conclusion that how a group or society treats those who are different than them reveals more about that group or society than almost any other action. I am fascinated at how much America has improved in this regards and am encouraged that we will be able to continue on the path towards accepting those who are different than the mainstream. The struggle is how do we tolerate without losing our identity.
The most striking thing about the story was how both McCarthy and Murrow lost. However, Murrow's sacrifice was for the better of the country, and his career continued on.
The movie brought up a lot of interesting subjects that would spark an evening of good conversation.
Entertaining: 2/5
Inspiring: 4/5
Ethical Thinking: 5/5
I will probably never watch this movie again unless I show it in a history class, which is pretty likely.
