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Mad City

Play trailer Poster for Mad City PG-13 1997 1h 54m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
30% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Simple security guard Sam (John Travolta) has lost his job at a museum, and in a fit of desperation, he returns and demands his boss, Mrs. Banks (Blythe Danner), rehire him. But he comes armed, and his plan goes awry when he accidentally shoots an ex-coworker and ends up with schoolchildren as hostages. Meanwhile, down-and-out TV reporter Brackett (Dustin Hoffman) is on scene to capture everything, thinking this suddenly huge story is his ticket back to the top of the news game.
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Mad City

Critics Reviews

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Emanuel Levy Variety 08/21/2006
C
This simplistic and obvious expose about the manipulative power of the news media (lazily acted by Travoilta and Hoffman) is so familiar that it's not going to upset or provoke anyone. Go to Full Review
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
2/4
Mad City arrives with the last thing a movie about journalism needs -- last year's news. Go to Full Review
Mike Clark USA Today 01/01/2000
1/4
A wanna-be event movie that merely reinvents the wheel. Go to Full Review
Gary Wolcott Tri-City Herald Sep 23
2/5
Mad City is maddeningly slow and carelessly contrived. It's only salvation is stellar performances from the always dependable Hoffman and Travolta. Go to Full Review
Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies 12/19/2023
2/5
Mad City is an example of every thing that is wrong with sensational journalism. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 11/08/2023
1.5/4
A movie so narratively threadbare that its idea of cutting-edge topicality is to have Larry King and Jay Leno pop up as themselves to comment on the proceedings. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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thiago s @Thiagostone Oct 18 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 See more Akobundu P 01/16/2025 I was devastated when I lost $80,000 worth of Bitcoin to a fake investment company. It felt like I had nowhere to turn, and I thought my funds were gone for good. However, after contacting Anonymous ‘ maciofonespyrix gma1l com I was amazed at how quickly they were able to track down my stolen Bitcoin. They worked tirelessly to trace the fraudulent transactions, liaised with the relevant authorities, and contacted the platforms involved in the scam. Thanks to Anonymous See more Steve D 02/13/2023 The scrip is most likely to make you roll your eyes, See more Marcus T @MarcusT12 01/21/2023 Dustin Hoffman keeps this project's head above water, but just barely. The premise is pretty farfetched and the execution overblown. John Travolta's character is not particularly likeable, but we are supposed to sympathize with him. There are a few different plot threads that never come together and so it feels shaggy at the end. This is supposed to be a commentary on how the media edits and manipulates the facts to push one agenda or another. So far so good, but the direction and script don't create a tight vehicle for this message. It's like the producers couldn't decide what they wanted this to be, so ultimately it is unsatisfying. Watch it if you are a Dustin Hoffman fan. Not so for Travolta fans. See more 01/26/2022 "We killed him." Way underrated critic about the medias. A Travolta who can explodes anytime, a Hoffman who's very aware, a constant suspense, fun also and boom! See more 11/15/2015 Great film really moving and fantastic acting all the way round both Hoffman and Travolta are fantastic and you really feel for these characters that they are playing. This film is one of the best at showing media power and corruption and just how far it can push someone to the limits and you really feel sorry for Sam for losing his job because i know for a fact what it like to be unemployed and unable to provide for yourself and your family. See more Read all reviews
Mad City

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Movie Info

Synopsis Simple security guard Sam (John Travolta) has lost his job at a museum, and in a fit of desperation, he returns and demands his boss, Mrs. Banks (Blythe Danner), rehire him. But he comes armed, and his plan goes awry when he accidentally shoots an ex-coworker and ends up with schoolchildren as hostages. Meanwhile, down-and-out TV reporter Brackett (Dustin Hoffman) is on scene to capture everything, thinking this suddenly huge story is his ticket back to the top of the news game.
Director
Costa-Gavras
Producer
Arnold Kopelson, Anne Kopelson
Screenwriter
Tom Matthews
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Warner Bros., Arnold Kopelson Productions, Punch Productions
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 7, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 31, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$10.6M
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
35mm, Scope (2.35:1)
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