THE SWEETEST PERFECTION

"Having failed to connect with the very first important Other he encountered, Junpei had lost confidence in his ability--the crucial ability--to give outward expression to love at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner. I may be the type who manages to grab all the pointless things in life but lets the really important things slip away: whenever this thought crossed his mind--which was often--his heart would descend to a place devoid of light and warmth." - Haruki Murakami, "The Kidney-Shaped Stone That Moves Every Day"

In Good Night, and Good Luck, George Clooney has created a thoughtful movie trimmed of any excess. He doesn't overdramatize, yet he doesn't pull any punches. He lets the story run straight, let's it speak for itself, emulating the no-nonsense news broadcasts of its subject, Edward R. Murrow. Shot in a crisp black-and-white so as not to conflict with the vintage footage of Senator Joseph McCarthy and Murrow's related subjects, most of the film is of men in suits sitting around and talking. But passionate men, men and women who believed in what they were doing. The parallels to our life today are obvious--an overzealous government with little regard for individual privacy and basic ethics, a media steeped in trash entertainment and advertising, the demonization of voices of dissent, a snide belief amongst the powers that be that the common people will accept an America that operates this way--and yet Clooney makes his point without stating it. Instead, he realizes history provokes thought, and thought leads to debate, and this subtle entry into our brains is more effective.

It's a perfect film. Every shot counts, every performance is on-point, and the script doesn't waste a moment.

Current Soundtrack: syndicated TV from the other room

Current Mood: impressed

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[to leave comments, click on the time-stamp below, then scroll down on the new page] – All text (c) 2005 Jamie S. Rich