"This is a bigger story now..."

MAD CITY (PG-13) 

Reviewed November 8, 1997 - Check out the Mad City web site.

Sam Baily (John Travolta) is a recently laid-off museum security guard...confused, desperate, and scared for his future, he goes back to the ,local museum to beg for his job back.  Finding his old boss Mrs. Banks (Blythe Danner), Baily pleas for a second chance only to get turned away...at least until he pulls out his shotgun.

Max Brackett (Dustin Hoffman) is a former big-time network news reporter who's career is on the skids.  Doing a "fluff" story on the museum for a local television station, Brackett finds himself in the museum's restroom when Baily makes his stand.  Suddenly, Brackett's in the middle of a "hot story," and (doing what any good reporter would do) takes advantage.

With microphones on and cameras rolling, Brackett not only reports, but also manipulates, the developing story.  Coaching the confused Baily on what to say and when to act, Brackett begins to spin the hostage situation into a media event designed to propel him back to the top of the news game.  However, as Baily and Brackett eventually learn, both public opinion and the news media stubbornly defy control, and as the two men try to shape their images from inside the museum's walls, the world outside decides on its own...

Directed by Academy Award winner Costa-Gavras, Mad City comes off as a moralistic tale on media exploitation, a situation where "the truth" is definitely in the eyes of the beholder (or in this case the camera).  The lesson is one that's been told many times, and in this sense there's nothing new in Mad City's rail against media sensationalism.  Still, thanks to engaging performances by Travolta and Hoffman, Mad City manages to be an interesting film through most of its nearly two hour runtime.  Mia Kirschner's performance as Brackett's young assistant is also notable, with her conversion from idealistic trainee to callous reporter one of the more memorable elements of this film. 

Okay, so maybe we've already heard the 'evil media' story too many times, and maybe this news story isn't as 'hot' as it hopes to be.  If you're a Travolta or Hoffman fan, Mad City's probably a story you won't want to miss...

Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!

Eoakwell@BTInternet.com gives this movie  stars. (12/12/00)

schulze@uol.com.br gives this movie  stars: "This is a great discussion on journalism ethics. How far can you dig into the story without becoming part of it, or manipulating it to become front page news ? Is there a limit ? And, if so, would it be in line with what the public would expect ? What is news, after all ? Gerat performance by Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta. The climax is kept until the very end, although predictable.." (5/30/98)

nickblaskowski@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "i liked the surprising ending,and i liked the fact that the setting throughout the whole thing was the museum!,it kind of reminded me of speed or speed 2,because it never really changed settings and speed and speed 2,was really only on a bus and boat!so it was good!" (4/17/98)