City of Angels

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City of Angels

PG-13

Released Apr 10, 1998

1h 57m

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

58%

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59 Reviews

82%

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250,000+ Ratings

This is the story of Seth (Nicolas Cage), an angel who wanders the Los Angeles area invisible to humans. As the demise of an individual approaches, he spends time near them and becomes visible while acting as their traveling companion during their trip to the great hereafter. His discovery of distraught heart surgeon Maggie (Meg Ryan) inspires him to forego his immortality and exist on earth with her as a feeling and mortal entity.

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Critics Consensus

City of Angels may not tug the heartstrings as effortlessly as it aims to, but the end results will still leave more than a few viewers in tears.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

City of Angels is an exercise in rapt, soapy quietude — a hymn to sappiness.

Rated: C

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Glossy romance as an angel falls for a surgeon.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 22, 2010

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Andrew Sarris

Observer

Strains to achieve the enchantingly sublime, but ends up sinking to the depressingly ridiculous.

Apr 27, 2007

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Its concept of the fallen angel seems grounded to me by that illuminating presence of Nicolas Cage, but it lacks a few lights to reach heaven. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Feb 8, 2023

Full Review

James Croot

The Post NZ

Everything the over-the-top Ghost should have been - stylish, endearing and, watching it now 23 years on, enduring - City of Angels' only disappointment is that it didn't make even more of the Cannes-winning source material.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 30, 2021

Full Review

Maitland McDonagh

TV Guide

The movie's eerie, slightly menacing vision of black-clad angels lurking in the shadowy corners of unsuspecting lives is genuinely haunting.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 18, 2008

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Jonathan E

The whole movie is worth watching just to see the conversation where Meg Ryan finally asks Cage, "Are you a drummer?"

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/04/25

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Kathy W

The first 3/4 of this movie are really good. Some beautiful spiritual messages here. Critical reviews of those messages say more about the observer than the observed. Unfortunately, once the angel becomes human the movie becomes Hollywood sap, which is too bad. Wish someone other than Nicholas Cage had played the angel, but still a good movie for those who wish to see.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/05/25

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Marcos David C

Mediocre version of “Wings Of Desire”

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/02/25

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Daniel C. M

Romance is far from being my thing, but i still really enjoyed this one. This movie in particular has a amazing and distinct cinematography, direction, soundtrack and sound design, i find it to be really underrated in this aspect; it really stood out to me, and it showed that this movie is more than a simple romance movie. The story, honestly, felt..."special" to me...i don't really know why, but i felt it like this

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/24/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/28/25

Full Review

Franky B

"City of Angels" is a must-watch for anyone who believes in angels—or even just wonders about their presence. I don't see this film as pure fiction; there’s so much truth woven into its story, and I feel like I watched it for a reason. Some scenes and quotes genuinely moved me and will stay with me forever. Maybe we are all angels in some way. Maybe you are an angel. Maybe I am. Watching this movie felt like unlocking a deeper part of my consciousness, one that has always been drawn to the idea of angels. I’ve had a lifelong fascination with them, but this film left me completely blown away. And the funny thing? It stars Nicolas Cage. I’ve never really taken him seriously before, but his performance here is outstanding. I cried more than once. This film is something special.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/25

Full Review

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Brad Silberling

Director

Nicolas Cage

Seth

Meg Ryan

Maggie Rice

Andre Braugher

Cassiel

Dennis Franz

Nathaniel Messinger

Colm Feore

Jordan Ferris

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Synopsis

This is the story of Seth (Nicolas Cage), an angel who wanders the Los Angeles area invisible to humans. As the demise of an individual approaches, he spends time near them and becomes visible while acting as their traveling companion during their trip to the great hereafter. His discovery of distraught heart surgeon Maggie (Meg Ryan) inspires him to forego his immortality and exist on earth with her as a feeling and mortal entity.

Director: Brad Silberling
Producer: Charles Roven, Dawn Steel
Screenwriter: Wim Wenders, Peter Handke, Richard Reitinger, Dana Stevens
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Monarchy Enterprises B.V., Warner Brothers, Regency Enterprises, Atlas Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Sexuality|Language|Some Nudity)
Genre: Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 10, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $78.7M
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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