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"Broadcast News" deals with news journalists who are all trying to keep their sanity in an insane business. William Hurt (Oscar-nominated) is the man who will do anything to become the head news anchor with his television network. He knows that the top anchor (Jack Nicholson) will be retiring soon and he must have that seat in front of the camera. Holly Hunter (also Oscar-nominated) is the smart producer who realizes that not everything in the news business is just black and white. Albert Brooks (Oscar-nominated as well) is the reporter who does not take anything too seriously. He is a great newsman, but does not have the drive or charisma to make a splash like Hurt does. This is definitely a black-comedy because the comedy comes to a screeching halt throughout the film to make way for heartrending drama that is both realistic and sometimes difficult to take. Brooks' screenplay is smart for the most part, but the film is flawed in several areas. Sometimes the direction is not clear. I think that Brooks was going for something like "Network". He comes close, but this film is in a lower class than that movie. The performances are top-notch. However, Jack Nicholson's token appearance is somewhat wasted here. He shows up for one or two minutes at a time and his character is never explored. More Jack Nicholson would have provided more insight into Hurt's character and his motives. Though flawed, "Broadcast News" is still a very good film that is a winner for the most part. 4 stars out of 5.

I say sadly because if you see this movie now, you realize how low our media has sunk- all the warning signs are in this movie.

It's a great film, I think the last great James Brooks film, but others may disagree. It has rich characters (who are believable as well), great acting, great writing, and although the music got a little cheesy, I even liked that.

William Hurt has never been better. Holly Hunter is stunning. And Albert Brooks walks away with every scene he's in- this triangle of people is beautifully drawn and compelling and made the whole movie soar above it's vital and important topic of the News, and how it's slowly being compromised in our nation.

Watch this with NETWORK for a truly fun and frightening evening.

BROADCAST NEWS marks the first time I saw Holly Hunter and I was mesmerized at her focus, quickness, passion, and finally her eccentric prettiness and sex appeal. The movie is hers from start to finish, and makes the 'love triangle' subplot almost unnecessary. She's so smart in the film (a rarity for a lead female) that you almost think if her only romantic choices are William Hurt's style-but-no-substance anchor or Albert Brooks's neurotic but intellectually arrogant reporter, she'd be better off with Robert Prosky. Though I can best relate to Albert Brooks (the guy who loves the smart, alluring girl who only sees him as a 'brother'), he still ticked me off a bit. My favorite scene in the film is him pouring his heart out to Hunter on a front porch confessing his love, then taking her by surprise and kissing her romantically (the only time he gets the chance). When he goes petulant later in the story, it's a bit hard to take. Fortunately, the James Brooks script and direction are a joy throughout, culminating in two perfect scenes: one with Joan Cusack unraveling seconds before a tape feed, and a marvelous 360 (?) pan thru the studio showing a live news feed from producer to anchor in one shot.

This movie is one of my favorite comedies of all time. The dialog is crisp, the pace is fast. Not only is this a clever comedy, this is an interesting look at what goes on behind the scenes in the television news business.

There are so many funny lines...a couple of my favorites:

Ernie Merriman: (sarcastically) It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you're the smartest person in the room. Jane: (seriously) NO, it's not, it's awful!!

Aaron: He must be good looking Jane: How do you know that? Aaron: No one invites a bad looking idiot to their room!

The performances of Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks, and William Hurt were absolutely brilliant! Even years later, I remember this movie well. Often forgotten is the wonderfully funny Joan Cusack! I love the scene where the newsroom personnel are racing to beat a deadline. There are so many funny scenes that it's hard to pick a favorite. I highly recommend this film.

Excellent movie about a big media firm and the goings on both on and off camera. Covering several years, the film centers on 3 upwardly mobile, young hopefuls, all striving for their place within the corporation. Well written dialogue, flawless acting, and a riveting story made for 2 hours of solid entertainment.