Film 42

Network (1976)

Director: Sidney Lumet

Has Fentablar seen this before?: No.

Network is an excellent film. The acting is powerful, the story is excellent, the direction is dead-on. Yet, beyond all that, when I look back on this film it seems that we were being warned of the impending doom that is the media's dominance in our lives. Now, nearly 30 years later, the media monster has only grown, creating a sometimes false sense of knowledge and understanding within the viewer but, most importantly, keeping the viewers attention.

This plot is carried out brilliantly, along with the fantastic character portrayals by the film's players. Dunaway, Holden, Finch and Duvall turn in highly appreciable performances, and are well-directed by Sidney Lumet. In a nutshell, Network seethes excellence in all categories - yet another "must see". Do yourself a favor and see this one soon.

Ratings (scale of 1 to 5):

Plot Effectiveness: 5/5. An intriguing story which will leave an impact.

Cinematography/Shot Selection: 5/5. This is probably Lumet's best work.

Overall Acting: 5/5. As mentioned before...

Score/Soundtrack: 5/5. Flows with the mood and themes, and is not overpowering.

OVERALL RATING: 5/5

~Fentablar~