This movie is a civics and history lesson for us all, and it couldn't be more timely. Done in black and white to capture the sensibilities of the time, it is a masterpiece. David Strathairn is a perfect Edward R. Murrow; you'll recognize him from many previous films, such as The Firm. George Clooney actually plays a supporting role: Fred Friendly, the CBS producer of Murrow's program.

For those who need a history refresher, CBS and Edward R.Murrow in particular wanted to expose Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy's unethical "communist cleansing" efforts for what it was in the 1950s: a witch hunt. It was a huge risk for the network to do this type of thing at the time, but CBS went with it and made history and set the bar pretty high in terms of truth and the power of journalism. A side note: be prepared to go back in time in terms of what television studios and newsrooms looked like back in the 50s: no technology!

This is a fast-paced, edgy drama. Wonderful to see with friends and plan on after-movie discussions. Bravo!