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The Majestic

Play trailer Poster for The Majestic PG Released Dec 21, 2001 2h 32m Comedy Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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42% Tomatometer 143 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Rising Hollywood screenwriter Peter Appleton (Jim Carrey) is blacklisted in the early 1950s Red Scare. Following a drunken car accident, he wakes with amnesia near the small town of Lawson, Calif., where the residents mistake him for Luke Trimble, a local boy declared missing in action during World War II. As Peter helps Luke's father (Martin Landau) and high school sweetheart (Laurie Holden) reopen the town's sole movie theater, questions arise about his true identity and motivations.
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The Majestic

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Critics Consensus

Ponderous and overlong, The Majestic drowns in forced sentimentality and resembles a mish-mash of other, better films.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek I staggered out of this shameless, interminable movie feeling as if I'd been force-fed a ton of mealy, artificially sweetened baby food. Mar 8, 2018 Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media This corny movie may not appeal to kids. Rated: 3/5 Dec 28, 2010 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 3/5 Dec 30, 2006 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault A gentle, toothless, shameless movie, with a Jim Carrey performance to match. Rated: D Sep 17, 2022 Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens The Majestic -- it will make your heart, and your soul, smile. Enjoy the show! Nov 13, 2019 Full Review Matt Brunson Creative Loafing The first part of the movie will strike some viewers as inspiring and others as manipulative; at any rate, it's clearly the better half, since the final act is patently false and a queer whitewash of a tragic chapter in US history. Rated: 2/4 Mar 4, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Myra V. C I personally enjoy this movie. Is 3 hrs long but you dnt feel it. Enjoyed Jim's portray and will watch it anytime any place. Recommend Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/03/25 Full Review Tim S I watched the movie with innocent eyes. Didn't know/care if it was/wasn't derivative. I simply fell into the plot, didn't care if it was implausible. I accepted the movie as fact. From that vantage point, it was sweet and bittersweet, and hopeful, and sad, and cynical, and hopeful. The characters, assumed real, were kind and cynical and willing to find something to celebrate or memorialize or scorn, and it all worked for me. Because I accepted it as real, as plausible, as historic. I'll let the critics be critical. I'd rather simply ride the wave and hope for a safe landing. This movie gave me that, with a performance by Jim Carrey that I consider his best work. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/27/25 Full Review Audience Member I know it's a bit long so some people's attention spans will be put to the test but I thought it was a sweet movie and for the most part well written. Jim Carrey is certainly a great actor. He proves himself time and time again. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/23/25 Full Review M H I wanted to give this film a chance but it slogged along like an old steam engine on a very steap grade. The cinematography was beautiful and the locations perfect. The story had potential but instead settled for a contrived attempt to recreate a Capra movie. The main character never fully endears himself to the audience because we never get a chance to know who is really is or was. We get a hint that he is a B movie writer who served in the war and got a degree through the GI bill but that’s it. When he goes missing his real family is never shown looking for him. He’s depicted as a nobody who just happens to be the doppelgänger of a small town Medal of Honor recipient. There could have been a twist or a big reveal as his real backstory comes into view but no. This movie ends up like the main character’s screenplays. A B movie. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/19/25 Full Review Fran B Am just now watching this movie after all of these years. It is fabulous! Jim Carrey, and everyone else, did a great job! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/25 Full Review ARNI S One of the best feel good movies I've seen in a long time. Loved the cast some incredible great actors. I liked Jim Carrey and his role he played. I think this was one of his best performances. I realize the movies release time was not the best. I believe if Warner Brothers studio would have waited longer the movie would have done a lot better. I recommend everyone who'd like to watch and up lifting movie to check it out. My spouse and I found it to be just that. We all need a movie with more then just one hero. This movie will provide just that, again loved all the older actors the real pros of Hollywood, who made it a great movie. Right up there with, It's A Wonderful Life... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/15/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Majestic

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Movie Info

Synopsis Rising Hollywood screenwriter Peter Appleton (Jim Carrey) is blacklisted in the early 1950s Red Scare. Following a drunken car accident, he wakes with amnesia near the small town of Lawson, Calif., where the residents mistake him for Luke Trimble, a local boy declared missing in action during World War II. As Peter helps Luke's father (Martin Landau) and high school sweetheart (Laurie Holden) reopen the town's sole movie theater, questions arise about his true identity and motivations.
Director
Frank Darabont
Producer
Frank Darabont
Screenwriter
Michael Sloane
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, Darkwoods Productions, Polyphony Digital
Rating
PG (Mild Thematic Elements|Language)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 21, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA)
$27.8M
Runtime
2h 32m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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