Network

Film

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>5/5
Rate this  

Time Out says

Washed-up news anchorman (Finch) flips on air, finds God, and is gleefully exploited by his TV company to boost the ratings with his epileptic evangelic revivalism. Network gives a rather old-fashioned plot the '70s treatment: the result is slick, 'adult', self-congratulatory, and almost entirely hollow. Paddy Chayefsky's entrenched but increasingly desperate script parades its middle-aged symptoms to little effect: it's ulcerous, bilious, paranoid about youth, and increasingly susceptible to fantasy. Above all, it's haunted by fear of failing powers; presumably people telling each other what lousy lays they were is to be taken as indication of the film's searing honesty. Lumet's direction does nothing to contain the sprawl, and most of the interest comes in watching such a lavishly mounted vehicle leaving the rails so spectacularly.

Author: CPe

8

Comments

Add +

Release details

UK release:

1976

Duration:

121 mins

Cast and crew

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Cast:

Darryl Hickman, Stanley Grover, Arthur Burghardt, Ned Beatty, Wesley Addy, Robert Duvall, Peter Finch, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Lee Richardson

Music:

Elliot Lawrence

Art Director:

Philip Rosenberg

Editor:

Alan Heim

Cinematography:

Owen Roizman

Screenwriter:

Paddy Chayefsky

Producer:

Howard Gottfried

Share your thoughts
  4. * mandatory fields

Comments & ratings

Rated as: 5/5 (5 ratings)

  • What A Silly Review. I Think The Whole TimeOut Staff is badky biased towards Sidney Lumet and Paddy Cheyefsky. This film may be old but I find it very relevant in today's times. It is smart, funny but also quite scary as it exposes some of the greatest failings in human psyche. And the part about TV ratings scramble also feels real. The acting is great and the dialogue and scenes are even more unforgettable.

    Zoeb Fri Sep 7 2012
    Rated as: 5/5
    Report

  • It's a clever, funny movie, but the reviewer makes some good points. Chayefsky doesn't really write "quiet" dialogue. As for satire, both Lumet and Chatefsky said that they meant it seriously

    DP Sat Jun 30 2012
    Rated as: 4/5
    Report

  • Magnificent film. Dazzlingly stupid review by CPe.

    Paul Kay Mon Feb 28 2011
    Rated as: 5/5
    Report

  • What a horrible review. You clearly know nothing of film and I feel sorry for anybody unfortunate enough to stumble onto your 'review' and not recognize it for the ill-informed piece of garbage it is.

    Colinsmith Fri Jul 2 2010
    Report

  • Do you understand this was a SATIRE? It's SUPPOSED to be over the top. I just watched this 30+ year-old movie, and it ages incredibly well--there is a direct thread from Howard Bealle to the "Tea Party" folks--this movie is not just about TV or TV news--a great many people are even madder than hell than they were when this movie was made, as they find themselves jobless or fearful they soon will be; globalization has left tens of millions of people feeling like they will lose this new game, and that only a few billionaires are going to win.

    Mike A. Fri Feb 12 2010
    Report

  • Your review of the film is as vacuous as the residue it apparently left behind in your mind. There is more to the movie than the most obvious aspects of a "ranting madman" being exploited for ratings and dialogue relating to the quality of sexual encounters. Look deeper into what is present and notice the questions about the meaninglessness of man's condition and alienation from others in addition to the self. The movie illustrates the negative role that television has in causing people to detach from their own life, or at the very least, to judge their life by false standards presented via programming. It isn't called programming for no reason. I have the feeling that CPe was uncomfortable w/various ideas presented in the movie and wrote the above asinine review in a fit of self-loathing.

    Gess T. Apo Tue Nov 24 2009
    Rated as: 5/5
    Report

  • I'm sure no one doubts some of the film's points and tirades, but that's all undercut by it being overwritten (Very different to literate), direly pretentious and embarassingly selfreflexive. I watched in horror as it descended into an uneven and oft ridulous "satire". All the of indulgences of Godard without any of the charm. Much like Equus a year later Lumet lets the whole thing run rampant. Still me favourite horror movie though...

    Rohne Hill Thu Sep 3 2009
    Report

  • This is one of the greatest movies ever made. The fear is in the direction of the world in general and TV in particular. Paddy C was right on the money. The dialogue is fantastic and literate (also funny) and there isn't a bad actor in the entire film. Don't be afraid to watch it.

    Katherine Thu Aug 23 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
    Report
  • Hotwise
  • Cool brands
  • Star