Good Night and Good Luck

Movies make me think. And I like it. My new favorite self-titled category of movie is the "ethics-drama." I don't think you will find this category in Blockbuster or Hollywood video, but it's descriptive of quite a few movies that I have found myself intrigued by, lately, including The Constant Gardener, Hotel Rwanda, and most recently, Good Night and Good Luck. These movies use narrative stories to bring particular ethical issues to the forefront in such a way that the issue becomes more prominent than the story.

In Good Night and Good Luck, the 1950's debate between Senator Joseph McCarthy and journlist Edward R. Murrow over McCarthy's anti-communism tactics raises ethical issues of free speech, civil liberties and national security. These are particularly significant issues in America (and the world), once again, with the ongoing "war on terror." What freedoms must we excercise in the pursuit of truth and justice, and which must we give up in the name of security and safety? There are no easy answers to these questions. This movie raises the questions. I'm hoping to be involved in the dialogue that seeks more than purely theoretical answers. Good night and good luck.