The Majestic (2001)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Wildaly M

  
  Still not sure if this was Carrey's best or worst role.

• Manu G

  
  Sometimes your life comes into focus one frame at a time. Good movie, not bad. I often wondered how Jim Carrey would handle a drama and now I know. I kinda enjoyed this trip through nostalgiatown as Carrey rejuvenated a town with his infectious personality. Heavily dramatic at times… More
  Sometimes your life comes into focus one frame at a time. Good movie, not bad. I often wondered how Jim Carrey would handle a drama and now I know. I kinda enjoyed this trip through nostalgiatown as Carrey rejuvenated a town with his infectious personality. Heavily dramatic at times but always with an undercurrent of jollity running through it. If you wanna see Jim Carrey in a whole different way you go see this one. Peter Appleton is an ambitious young screenwriter working for HHS Studios during Hollywood's Golden Age, 1951 in particular. "Ashes to Ashes" is about to be released, and he's dating the attractive movie star, Sandra Sinclair. Just when everything seems to be going his way, it is discovered he (unwittingly) attended a Communist meeting during college when pulled there by his girlfriend at the time, and thus heavy suspicion settles over him and he'll have to stand before Congress. Afraid of what might happen if they don't, HHS cancels Appleton's contract and aborts the release date of the film. Appleton promptly begins to wallow in self-pity and spends nearly an entire night at a bar, then drives intoxicated through the streets of the California course until plummeting into a stormy river and getting knocked unconscious. Washing up on the beaches of a small town called Lawson. Although the people there are pleasant and likable, the town is depressed and lifeless due to having lost 62 of its sons in World War II. One of them, Luke Trimble, was missing in action; and miraculously, Peter bears a striking resemblance to the black and white photos, close enough to fool even Luke's father, Harry. However, thanks to the blow to the head and the alcohol, Peter has suffered amnesia and decides he must be who they think he is. Besides, it's not a bad life: Luke's beautiful lover, lawyer Adele Stanton, is all over him, the town has suddenly come back to life with excitement, and he and his "father" rebuild a movie palace Harry used to run, the Majestic. Unfortunately, Peter's memory returns in time for G-men to track him down.

• Anthony L

  
  A pure feel-good film, typical of Frank Darabont who was obviously highly influenced by Capra. The Majestic is quite cheesy but deliberately so I believe, the 50's are depicted the Hollywood way, by memories of people to young to remember, not false but very sugar-coated. This is… More
  A pure feel-good film, typical of Frank Darabont who was obviously highly influenced by Capra. The Majestic is quite cheesy but deliberately so I believe, the 50's are depicted the Hollywood way, by memories of people to young to remember, not false but very sugar-coated. This is one of the few Jim Carrey films I've enjoyed, I wish he'd play it straight a little more often. The supporting cast is also very strong, I particularly enjoyed the Bruce Campbell cameo that I was unaware of and rather pleasantly surprised by. It's all a bit of nonsense really at the end of the day but it's very easy to watch, makes you feel good and it does invoke the same magic that the films it's influenced by do. Frank Darabont really doesn't make enough films considering his talent and success.

• moon r

  
  A tribute of sorts, to Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart, to those who gave their lives in combat, to small town America, to Hollywood, and, what the hey, to the movies that may've touched our lives. Martin Landau practically steals the movie.

• danny d

  
  although heavily criticized, i really like this film. emotional, mature, and full of great performances, this is a feel good film that draws attention to the majesty of film, and thats never a bad thing.

• Michael E

  
  it was done fantastically

• Richard C

  
  B

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Sometimes your life comes into focus one frame at a time."</i> Set in 1951, a blacklisted Hollywood writer gets into a car accident, loses his memory and settles down in a small town where he is mistaken for a long-lost son. <center><font size=+2… More
  <i>"Sometimes your life comes into focus one frame at a time."</i> Set in 1951, a blacklisted Hollywood writer gets into a car accident, loses his memory and settles down in a small town where he is mistaken for a long-lost son. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> In the tradition of Frank Capra comes this enchanting fable, an ode to small town values, American ideals, and even movies themselves. I have long been a fan of Frank Capra, his movies are timeless, but often deemed old fashioned. Few even try to imitate him today. The director, Frank Darabont, for the most part succeeds. Some have complained that the film is too long. Others were unimpressed, perhaps because they had their standards too high (this film did come after the top notch films Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile). This film has a solid cast, Carrey gives a surprisingly earnest performance, and Martin Landau is heartbreaking. As an added bonus, we even get Bruce Campell in a small cameo. I really enjoyed this film, and I think if you go in with an open mind, you will too.

• Candy R

  
  More serious role for Jim Carrey. He is a Hollywood scriptwriter who is involved in a car accident where he loses his memory. He is marooned in a small town where he is mistaken for a long lost war hero. Interesting plot.

• Leigh R

  
  It was that memorable, but it was alright.

• Jose Z

  
  It was good, not the best by Jim Carrey. The story is interesting, but the plot although its good, it has a very slow rythm and begins to bore after a while. Jim Carrey's performance is good, could be better. One thing that its really awesome about the movie is the photography, I… More
  It was good, not the best by Jim Carrey. The story is interesting, but the plot although its good, it has a very slow rythm and begins to bore after a while. Jim Carrey's performance is good, could be better. One thing that its really awesome about the movie is the photography, I really got amazed by the landscapes in the film.

• Jens S

  
  Jim Carrey proves once again what a fine and serious actor he can be and the rest of the cast is just as convicning. The problem of the movie is that it's trying to combine too many story ideas in one plot: some criticism of communist-witchhunts after World War2, a country in… More
  Jim Carrey proves once again what a fine and serious actor he can be and the rest of the cast is just as convicning. The problem of the movie is that it's trying to combine too many story ideas in one plot: some criticism of communist-witchhunts after World War2, a country in shock after having lost its young ones and a man without memory starting over. Unfortunately the combination is not very exciting, sometimes even really slow. 30 minutes shorter the movie still would have gotten its message across and that in a much more convenient pace. That being said, it's hard to dislike the movie because of its sweet nature and likeable characters. Still, far from the excellence of Carrey's Truman Show or director Darabont's Shawshank Redemption.

• Drew S

  
  Overworked, garish and cheesy; it's a miracle that Jim Carrey deigned himself to waste his time with this nonsense. This is almost as overt an effort at tugging the heartstrings than Radio.

• Jason S

  
  A story about love, loss, war, and the blacklist era.

• Michael G

  
  It's like a cover version of a Frank Capra movie. Just not as well done.

• Morgan S

  
  idk...just not my type of movie. dont make jim carrey serios it totally kills him...

• Stephen E

  
  An ugly, sappy film that is poorly acted and filled to the brim with dramatic cliches. It's designed to evoke a sense of patriotism, but it failed to do so.

• Cameron J

  
  I thought that they were going to play on Hollywood more, because when I think majestic, I think of Hollywood. It's crazy enough to be some type of majestic habitat. There, you can find such fascinating speciments as the "Drunketh Usetobeus Hottus". You might know this… More
  I thought that they were going to play on Hollywood more, because when I think majestic, I think of Hollywood. It's crazy enough to be some type of majestic habitat. There, you can find such fascinating speciments as the "Drunketh Usetobeus Hottus". You might know this creature better by its common name: "Lindsay Lohan". It's much more dangerous than the traditional "Usetobeus Hottus" or "Cameron Diaz". But getting back to business, this film suffers from a lot of familiar elements and sentimentality that feels a touch forced at some points. Now, let's touch on the length. When I heard that it was overdrawn and dull, I found myself saying "Well, that's what they said about 'The Green Mile'." Now, while this film is not as well-paced, Darabont still once again, to me, defied the critics' gossip. Some of the best dramas are lengthy, elaborate, captivating and leave you feeling like it couldn't be long enough. This film features almost all of these ingredients for a great, lengthy drama. I say "almost all" because it falls a bit short on the "couldn't be long enough" factor. It does slow down and drags a deal of scenes out. In spite of this, I find the long and complex story to be predominantly decently-paced and captivating, keeping me fully invested in the compelling story and characters. Still, it wasn't only the story and Darabont's direction that made the film so captivating. The actors truly deserve some major credit. But more on that later. Right now, let's discuss the other strengths behind the film, such as solid cenimatography, fine production design, good writing and effective comic relief. The film particularly boasts strong characters with fine chemistry and great performances that carry the emotional impact that admittedly moved me to tears in one sequence that I gurantee you'll know when you see. Of course, the most outstanding thing in this is once again Jim Carrey, who surprisingly fits very well into this deep drama. Believe it or not, he feels rather well-casted and backs up his case with some more of that fine competent acting that he loves to show off, and rightfully so. He once again gets a chance to show off his acting chops and boy howdy, does he bring them. He makes his character very believeable and compelling with his solid emoting and the chemistry that he sharply builds with the other characters. Seeing Jim Carrey in an unfamiliar element that he seems to genuinely fit in is enough of a sight to see without his excellent, film-carrying performance. At the end of the day, "The Majestic", though familiar, sugary and periodically slow, is still yet another mostly entertaning and moving Darabont accomplishment led by Jim Carrey's fine performance and further proof that he fits like a dream in the serious acting industry.

• Dannielle A

  
  This is a sweet, patriotic, romantic fable in which a blacklisted screenwriter named Peter Appleton suffers from amnesia after an accident, and is mistaken for and embraced as the local hero who was missing in action from the war. He suddenly has a whole town who loves him, a father,… More
  This is a sweet, patriotic, romantic fable in which a blacklisted screenwriter named Peter Appleton suffers from amnesia after an accident, and is mistaken for and embraced as the local hero who was missing in action from the war. He suddenly has a whole town who loves him, a father, and a fiancée. The small town is the perfect little utopia of people who care and look out for each other. Peter (confused as Luke) spends his days watching sunsets from lighthouses, dancing under the stars, strolling down leafy lanes, fixing up his "father's" old movie theatre, and trying to piece his memory back together. Shortly after he starts to remember and regains his identity, he is taken to court for being a communist, which he isn't. The rest of the movie swells in my heart a huge pride in being American. (Well, the kind of America that our forefathers began, the one that lived by the Constitution of the United States.) Peter is inspired by Luke's fiancée and is given new purpose to do what is right. This film pays homage to old-fashioned values. What a treat! I thought I could predict the ending, but it was clever and unexpected.

• Joseph E

  
  Seriously, if you don't find this film sincere, enjoyable, believable, or evn emotionally compelling, then you do not like the good movies! "Jackass"! , Oh, so I found a movie you liked more? Shame! Shame! Shame!~

Read all 20 featured audience ratings