The film is a dramatization of the events that a CNN news team went through while reporting in Baghdad from August 1990 until the war started in January 1991. Starring Michael Keaton as the main character, CNN producer RObert Wiener, it's based on the book written by Robert Wiener himself, also entitled "Live From Baghdad."
Released as a made-for-TV HBO movie, the film nonetheless exceeds the expectations set for this type of movie. It's a surprisingly star-studded cast for such a film. Helena Bonham Carter as Ingrid Formanek, another CNN producer, has genuine onscreen chemistry with Wiener and was awarded an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for her performance.
Keaton also puts in a strong performance as a strong-willed reporter who will do almost anything for a good story. The supporting cast performs excellently as well, giving a realistic presentation of the stresses and humorous banter one experiences as part of an active news team. This is especially true in scenes such as the crew's arrival at their Baghdad hotel, the interview of an American hostage being held in Iraw, and the crew's hurried escape from Kuwait.
Bruce McGill as Peter Arnett and Robert Wisdom as Bernard Shaw, veteran reporters both, stand out particularly in this respect. Both men contribute significantly to the realism of the reporters and even manage to provide humor in difficult situations. Hamish Linklater as Richard "Don't call me Dick" Roth, provides more of this, notably in a scene with Wiener illustrating the meaning of said quote.
While the characters in "Live From Baghdad" offered portrayals of a news team under fire, the cinematography in the film was just as good. Shadowy lighting lent a tense and sometimes gloomy mood in dramatic scenes, and even the score, not especially noteworthy in the film, contributed to this. A few pop songs, such as The Dexy Midnight Runners' "Come On Eileen," and Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf" are also thrown in for good measure.
Actual footage from the time period, including part of an interview with Saddam Hussein, added a realistic touch, But of particular note is the film's final scene. The Gulf War has had its inevitable start, and the CNN news crew has had no choice at this point but to stay behind and report the news. McGill, Wisdom, and John Carroll Lynch's John Holliman remain in the crew's hotel room to report the bombardment live to American audiences.
As they describe what's going on to those back home over a four-wire, the beauty and yet awful terror of the bombs being dropped and the anti-aircraft being fired back is truly striking. They're like a morbid variety of fireworks, and one is somewhat reminded of how Francis Scott Key must have felt while composing "The Star Spangled Banner." For this scene and the stellar performances by the cast, and in view of the current situation in Iraq, "Live From Baghdad" is indeed worth a second look.
Good description of the movies juxtaposition during the beginning of your kick.
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