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Rating: 4.5 stars

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Criterion

All movies seen on 04/20/2011

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Broadcast News (1987)

Directed by James L. Brooks

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Most recently watched by sleestakk

Overview

Basket-case network news producer Jane Craig falls for new reporter Tom Grunnick, a pretty boy who represents the trend towards entertainment news she despises. Aaron Altman, a talented but plain correspondent, carries an unrequited torch for Jane. Sparks fly between the three as the network prepares for big changes, and both the news and Jane must decide between style and substance.

Rated R | Length 133 minutes

Actors

William Hurt | Albert Brooks | Holly Hunter | Robert Prosky | Lois Chiles | Joan Cusack | Peter Hackes | Christian Clemenson | Jack Nicholson | Robert Katims | Ed Wheeler | Stephen Mendillo | Kimber Shoop | Dwayne Markee | Gennie James | Leo Burmester | Amy Brooks | Jane Welch | Jonathan Benya | Frank Doubleday | Sally Knight | Manuel Alvarez | Luis Valderrama | Francisco Garcia | Richard Thomsen | Nat Benchley | Marita Geraghty | Nicholas D. Blanchet | Maura Moynihan | Chuck Lippman | Nannette Rickert | Timothy W. White | Peggy Pridemore | Emily Crowley | Gerard Ender | David Long | Joshua Billings | Glenn Faigen | Robert Grevemberg Jr. | Richard Pehle | James V. Franco | Jimmy Mel Green | Raoul N. Rizik | Mike Skehan | Franklyn L. Bullard | Glen Roven | Marc Shaiman | Alex Mathews | Steve Smith | Martha Smith | Cynthia B. Hayes | Dean Nitz | Phil Ugel | Lance Wain | Susan Marie Feldman | Jean Bourne Carinci | M. Fekade-Salassie | Gerald F. Gough | Robert Rasch | Robert Walsh | John Cusack

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

I’d seen bits and pieces of BROADCAST NEWS throughout college. I was a Communications Major and was thinking about going into Broadcasting at the time. The newsroom scenes are embedded in my brain, but I had totally forgot the love triangle plot of the movie.

Holly Hunter gives a firecracker of a performance and Albert Brooks is cynical, whiny and hilarious as the tortured “friend.” William Hurt in the “dumb jock news anchor” role is almost pitch perfect. I love the performances and the structure of the film. My only gripe is I can’t buy into the “tortured love” aspect of the film. All the arguments seem a bit “high schoolish” but the actors and sharp scripted dialogue really help sell this part of the film.

The anti-corporatizing message of the film is especially interesting. It seems almost prophetic in a way now that corporatizing of media and “news as entertainment” is the norm.

Overall, I absolutely love BROADCAST NEWS. Seeing the full film after being out of college for so long was very satisfying. I can’t wait to watch this film again.

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