Good Night, and Good Luck.

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Good Night, and Good Luck.

PG

2005

1h 33m

History

Drama

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

226 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

When Senator Joseph McCarthy begins his foolhardy campaign to root out Communists in America, CBS News impresario Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) dedicates himself to exposing the atrocities being committed by McCarthy's Senate investigation. Murrow is supported by a news team that includes long-time friend and producer Fred Friendly (George Clooney). The CBS team does its best to point out the senator's lies and excesses, despite pressure from CBS' corporate sponsors to desist.

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Zadie Smith

Daily Telegraph (UK)

02/12/2020

In terms of historical content, the film is neither quite honest nor quite true. That's a shame, because it's a great film.

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Victoria Segal

New Statesman

09/26/2017

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.

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Simon Crook

Empire Magazine

02/27/2008

4/5

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.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

06/05/2025

3.5/4

Like All the President’s Men, it celebrates journalistic integrity in the face of political corruption, and like Quiz Show, it foreshadows how this invention with the ability to educate people has been dumbed down to placate the lowest common denominator.

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Matt Neal

ABC Radio (Australia)

02/05/2024

4/5

Clooney has some good films under his belt as director but this is his tightest and most powerful.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

01/08/2024

5/5

Good Night, and Good Luck is both a masterpiece and a reminder that journalists have a responsibility.

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Michael A

@Kinich61 Jun 23

Great direction, screenplay, and acting on a very important time in the political history of the USA.

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Quinn R

@qritz7 Apr 14

A sharp reminder of the importance of journalism and holding truth to power. Wonderfully depicted through great acting. However, due to the maybe dry topic, the film could have benefited from much quicker pacing. (58%)

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Kevin P

@RT55971421 Feb 20

A very tense, riveting drama about all the censorship pressures against journalists like Edward R Murrow trying to critique senator Joseph McCarthy during the height of the Cold War. The movie is excellently written and directed by George Clooney. The film was shot in in black-and-white with great lighting and cinematography. The acting is terrific all across the board. I love the jazzy noir soundtrack. We get a great opening speech about how mass media and TV is used to distract and brainwash the American public through propaganda during McCarthy's communist witch hunt. The movie is full of great dialogue and political rhetoric. The movie has great themes about the importance of journalistic integrity to preserve the truth when presenting the news to the American public without any censorship or embellishments in the pursuit of censorship or sponsorship greed.

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Joe B

@JoeB9113 Jan 14

Could history be repeating itself? As an adolescent in the 50's and 60's not really knowing anything about politics. This story shines a light on what my parents must have been going through at the time. I think we are reliving it today. This is not an entertaining movie but a movie of historical fact, notwithstanding some poetic license for entertainment purposes. I recommend it to everyone of all ages.

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Konner A.

@Konner242 Dec 18

To slow and boring for my liking

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Stephen C

@bob25009 07/22/2025

Based on a true story in 1 hour and 33 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG for Mild Thematic Elements and Brief Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $31,500,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy 20th anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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George Clooney

Director

David Strathairn

Edward R. Murrow

Patricia Clarkson

Shirley Wershba

George Clooney

Fred Friendly

Jeff Daniels

Sig Mickelson

Robert Downey Jr.

Joe Wershba

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Synopsis

When Senator Joseph McCarthy begins his foolhardy campaign to root out Communists in America, CBS News impresario Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) dedicates himself to exposing the atrocities being committed by McCarthy's Senate investigation. Murrow is supported by a news team that includes long-time friend and producer Fred Friendly (George Clooney). The CBS team does its best to point out the senator's lies and excesses, despite pressure from CBS' corporate sponsors to desist.

Director: George Clooney
Producer: Grant Heslov
Distributor: Warner Independent
Production Co: Warner Independent Pictures, Metropolitan, Section Eight Ltd., 2929 Productions
Rating: PG (Mild Thematic Elements|Brief Language)
Genre: History, Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 7, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 9, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $31.5M
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)