"Broadcast News": I'll Defend It 'Til the Day I Die (Probably)

Okay, folks, let's talk "Broadcast News." First off, anyone who says William Hurt isn't totally believable as a news anchor hasn't seen local news in the last 20 years. Just sayin'. The whole thing is just chef's kiss perfection. I mean, Holly Hunter's Jane Craig is the queen of high-strung competence, and Albert Brooks? Poor Aaron Altman. "It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you're the smartest person in the room." Tell me you haven't felt that way at least once in your life! But seriously, the scene where Jane cries, then pulls herself together and nails the newscast? Iconic. It’s not just the crying; it's the control she exerts. And then, later, when she tells Aaron, "I'll meet you at the place at the time we discussed," it just kills me. The movie doesn't give easy answers. It tackles the tension between substance and appearance in news, and does it in a way that's relevant, even now, maybe especially now. The dialogue is just so damn quotable. Like I always tell people, "What do you do when your real life exceeds your dreams?" You KNOW I'm referencing Aaron's breakdown in the bathroom. Okay, I know I've used that line like twenty times. Sue me! It's just... poignant, okay? Anyone can relate to that feeling, dreams outpacing reality and wondering what the hell to do about it. It's also darkly funny. Look, is "Broadcast News" flawless? Probably not. But it's one of those movies that just sticks with you. I still think about it, and I saw it for the first time, like, a decade ago (maybe more, yikes!). So yeah, go watch it, rewatch it, whatever. Just don't tell me you think Tom Gruenick deserved a better ending. Some guys are just meant to be the almost-was, unfortunately (but he did get to cover Libya!). Okay thats my review over.