Good Night, and Good Luck. **** (out of four): Co-writer/director George Clooney's fascinating, intelligent spotlight on the efforts of CBS News, led by Edward R. Murrow, to bring down Sen. Joseph McCarthy. They don’t make 'em like this anymore.

During the closing credits of “Good Night, and Good Luck.” – co-writer/director George Clooney’s spot-on portrait of the war of words between CBS newscaster Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy - an older man, who looked like he could easily have lived through the period in which the film is set, turned to me and said, “Heavy stuff, eh?” This wasn’t meant as a strike against the movie. In fact, I think he was trying to find out how a younger audience member reacted to it. “Good Night” is not your average historical recreation. It doesn’t dumb-down its story or its characters with needless explanation for the benefit of an under-educated audience. The script, written by Mr. Clooney and Grant Heslov, demands attention and, perhaps, a fact-finding trip to the internet after viewing. No, as my co-audience member might have been saying: if you want dumb-down, “Domino” is playing in the next theater.

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