There’s something about using rolling captions to introduce the context of a film that immediately cuts the momentum.  That decision felt cheap, and I felt cheated as a viewer. I swear those two paragraphs of text could’ve been summed up in a few lines of dialogue for the two actresses walking from the elevator to the offices in the background as just having idle chit-chat about a compelling point in history—”The Red Scare”—and the media’s role in dismantling it.

I often wonder while I’m watching MSNBC, NBC, CNN, and other liberal-leaning media networks what life would’ve been like if E.R. Murrow existed today during the social media era. I don’t think our generation deserves that level of journalistic integrity—we’d take it for granted, like we do now. And I’m generalizing because I’m actually obsessed with and study the ways misinformation lead to population health decline. Murrow was a necessary figure during a time when politicians were actually held “accountable,” or close to it, according to the rule of law. And when Congress had sensible politicians who held members of their own party accountable for their history-defining actions or inaction.  I can only hope that the norms skirted by the executive and legislative branches today come to justice soon before democracy completely caves.

Back to the regularly scheduled review… 

Black and White was a good call. Dope direction–lots of close-up, high angle, and/or over-the-shoulder shots on Strathairn as E.R. Murrow. Felt like I was actually watching archival footage of Murrow rather a recitation by an accomplished actor.

David Strathairn embodied Murrow and B O D I E D this role. 💯💯💯 The accolades for this portrayal were deserved. Also, the ensemble was perfectly supportive—nice and balanced.

I think changing the aspect ratio for this film would have lifted it a bit. Good call, Clooney and Heslov, on using archival footage of Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn rather than hiring actors. That decision made the narrative feel even more outrageous that “The Red Scare” was real and changed American and global politics forever.