Review – Network

When this film first came out in the halcyon days of the 1970s, it was regarded as a farce. Corporate mergers and buyouts completely rework broadcasting priorities from PICON to profits? Hah! The network programming department takes over the news division? Ridiculous! Proud traditions of journalism tossed on the ash heap, replaced by crude sensationalism and other forms of crass infotainment? It could never happen. Two decades later, the picture’s practically a docu-drama. Of course parts of it, like an insane news anchor who curses and rants on the air, remain in the realm of high comedy, at least for now. But overall this is a wonderful, enjoyable example of how thin the line between realism and cynicism can often prove to be. Worth seeing