Live from Baghdad

HBO has brought us a great film here. Michael Keaton plays CNN producer Bob Weiner in this exciting tale of drama, war, and the role the media plays in current affairs. The film is about the events leading up to, and culminating in the 1991 Gulf War. We see the invasion of Kuwait months before the allied bombing raids, and we end after the first night of bombing...the movie follows the events of this time period, which include that invasion of Kuwait, the holding of American and British hostages in Iraq, CNN's rise on the media scene, becoming a very powerful international news organization thanks to their exclusive reporting from Iraq. Keaton does a very nice job here, which is what you expect from a great actor like himself...Carter, who plays the other CNN producer is very good as well, this being the first movie I have seen her in.

Nice filmmaking here...I'm not sure where it was filmed, but it sure looked like Baghdad to me...and the casting is very well all around- these guys looked so much like shaw, arnett, and to a lesser degree John Holloman- it was almost eerie. You felt like you were right in the room with these guys as they talked to Atlanta over the four wire radio they had access to (which is what helped them report the story from Iraq when no one else could.) There are some really good special effects as well, the anti aircraft fire lighting up the sky was spectacular, and once again- it helped give the feeling that you were right in the thick of things.

interesting behind-the-war-probe, portrayed by a tv crew looking for the news story of their lives but also the price to pay for it. great performances by keaton, carter, suchet and the remaining cast as well as very well done visual effects. especially the bombing scenes commented live are so realistic you could smell the death in the air. big kudos to robert wiener and mick jackson for attempts to present the unfortunate events from relatively ordinary people's perspectives and free of overly political propaganda. the story clearly shows the west and the east are different but unlike the east, the west doesn't almost bother learning to know and understand the differences and the history behind them. demonising the unknown then creates a perfect opportunity to present it as hostile. while the gulf war probably had its justifiable reason, the current war-like situation is simply missing it...

The appeal of this movie is that it makes you feel the fear, excitement, and tension that the journalists covering the Gulf War had to have felt. There are many scenes that accomplish this very well, including the scenes where the journalists are in Kuwait investigating stories of Iraqi soldiers taking babies from incubators and leaving them for dead. The interview scene with Hussein is very well done; you can imagine the intimidation Wiener felt when he had to clip a microphone on Hussein's tie.

However, nothing in the movie brings out these emotions in the audience like the shots of the skies of Baghdad illuminated with bombs and anti-aircraft fire. The bravery shown by the journalists who covered this from their hotel room instead of taking shelter is amazing to me to this day, and the movie really communicates a sense of how they must have felt.

I probably wouldn't have been anywhere near Baghdad had I been in their shoes, but now I know how they must have felt.

Excellent teleplay, exemplary performances. Riveting and thought-provoking. A top-notch production all around.

Beyond what else has been said, LIVE FROM BAGHDAD hails those who, as late as 1991, stood up for the freedom of the press, the battles waged, the compromises made, their failures as well as their successes. Bush the elder had ordered the press out of Baghdad, but failed, as this teleplay depicts. When Bush the younger reentered Iraq, he offered the press corps a leash instead, which most agencies snapped up.

LIVE FROM BAGHDAD, a brilliant bit of reporting done by an extraordinary CNN team, but also a subtle homage to those who help preserve one of the most vital proponents of liberty -- a free press.

Live From Baghdad marks the triumphant return of one of the most harsh individuals in show business today: Michael Keaton. He is extremely hard boiled in this role and the supporting cast of Helena Bonham-Carter, Lili Taylor, David Suchet and Bruce McGill are a force to be reckoned with. The end when the war begins is one of the most realistic war scenes I've seen in some time, it really looks like you're in the room watching the battle unfold with them. I hope this will be a kick start for Keaton to get back into making new movies because he has not lost a step in his acting ability. But you all should see for yourself, if any of you get HBO I suggest you watch this the next time its on.