Most of Ron Howard's films seem to find favour with the public, but this one didn't, despite the all star cast, which is a shame since its bright, entertaining and very well done. Maybe simply too many people like in a one paper city now, or don't read the paper (eg the 90s ABC TV series Mercury was annoying to people who didn't live in Melbourne); the same story about television journalism might have found more favour.There are many delights - Michael Keaton is excellent as the perennially edgy editor (who even takes time out from an argument with his wife to nod "hello" to a passerby, a lovely touch) with an annoyingly product-placement-friendly taste for soft drink; Marissa Tomei is charming as his ex journo pregnant wife who misses the smell of the hunt; Spalding Grey a delight as the pretentious NY Times-like editor; Randy Quaid is hilarious as a rock'n'roll columnist (the film's digs at columnists are a highlight). Robert Duvall and Glenn Close have played these sort of roles a lot, but they still do so here with elan.
The ending probably goes on too long, with all the stopping the presses, and changing minds, and going to hospital - and they try to make it work but a fist fight between Michael Keaton and Glenn Close is still inherently dodgy - and it's a bit ho-hum to have the big case of the day be about some poor little black kids who are wrongly arrested.
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