Movielogr

Rating: 4.5 stars

Tags

Criterion

All movies seen on 04/20/2011

View on: IMDb | TMDb

Broadcast News (1987)

Directed by James L. Brooks

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Most recently watched by sleestakk

Overview

A high-strung news producer finds herself in a love triangle between a talented but self-doubting reporter and a charming new anchor, who embodies the growing trivialization of news that she is determined to fight against.

Rated R | Length 133 minutes

Actors

Holly Hunter | William Hurt | Albert Brooks | 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.

Comments