If you were wondering what movie George Clooney has been trying to make for the past decade, look no further then Network, an eloquent satire of sensationalized news. The film was meant as comedy but the humor hit so close to home, it was interpreted as a drama by the Academy and given the award for best picture. There are some really brilliant moments, such as the network pioneering reality TV by paying terrorists to film their bank heists and kidnappings and the accurate prediction of Rupert Murdock’s monopolistic media clusterfuck. But the best joke comes from the film’s enduring catch phrase, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more!” Screaming it sure makes citizens feel better but doing so changes nothing and ultimately shows how Limbaugh-ian anger is manipulated for ratings.
The film is not always subtle (at one point the protagonist tells other characters what they symbolize) and any character, no matter how minor, might erupt into an expressive monologue at any time, but this is all part of the movie’s urgent charm.
Grade: A+
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