A 'Dog Day Afternoon' At The Museum
Added 3/15/2009
Man, this was some indictment of the television-reporter-mentality! It was exaggerated, of course, but still interesting to see and in many respects good to see because of the onslaught of "tabloid journalism" that seems to have taken over the media in recent years.
Whatever, you can enjoy this film for the acting alone with Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Alan Alda, Robert Prosky, Mia Kirschner and Ted Levine. These actors, and some good dialog, make the film move along at a good clip despite the absence of much happening on screen.
The story gets you involved and reminds me of the famous 70s film, "Dog Day Afternoon," in which much of the film takes place in a bank. Here, it's a museum, and a man is in a predicament something like Al Pacino was in that film except Travolta's character here is totally innocent.
The screenwriters added bit of humor to this involving story and that made it even better. It's very good entertainment and certainly recommended.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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COMPLETELY ENGROSSING IF NOT COMPLETELY PLAUSABLE!
Added 9/1/2008
'Mad City' is an exceptional film with some minor flaws. The subject matter is intriguing and provocative. John Travolta deserves much of the credit for playing his character both sympathetically and unpredictability. Hoffman is great as usual in this tale of desperation, media manipulation and greed! It's easy to get engrossed in this drama although it's not completely plausible when it comes to police tactics allowing the media and civilians to bum rush scene in question etc., but it's a fascinating film and should not be passed up! The DVD transfer is very good.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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A good message, but flawed movie
Added 4/15/2008
I think this movie depicts how the media blows many incidents way out of proportion. In fact, they will desperately go to great lengths and alter what people said in order to present a more catchy, dramatic news headline. John Travolta portrays a man who lost his job a museum. All he wants is his job back. He brings in a gun to be used as threat but accidently fires it and kills a security guard. He realizes that his whole life is ruined. Meanwhile a reporter tries to portray Travolta as a working class man who was simply trying to provide for his family. He shuold serve some time but then should be granted a second chance. Basically he was trying to portray that not every criminal is evil at hurt. However, the media quickly revamped his story and turned it into a sick twisted, racist pig who is holding kids hostage.
As far as the movie goes, it is rather long and boring. Most of it is slow and dragged out over the 2 hour mark. This movie could have been made into an hour and a half. It starts and ends well but the middle became a bit confusing and can be very disinteresting for the viewer to follow.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Wow - I didn't know John Travolta had such depth.
Added 2/12/2008
I was truely impressed with the acting of both Dustin Hoffman & John Travolta. You think these men are the people they're portraying here. I honestly can not believe this movie got any bad reviews. I bought mine as a Previously Viewed from a Video Rental Store and then go to Amazon and notice the low prices and think to myself - This is going to be a lousy movie to watch -- Wrong. I watched it from start to finish like reading a good book and can't wait to see how it turns out.
Do yourself a favor and buy this movie at these low prices. You won't be sorry.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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An Interesting Misfire
Added 7/10/2006
Lord knows the media is a worthy target for social commentary. However, it is also an easy one, and has been often targeted in the past. Thus the central problem with "Mad City," Costa-Gavras' updating of Billy Wilder's "Ace in the Hole." The film spends nearly two hours denouncing the media---namely print and television news---for a variety of social ills, for not all of which it can so easily be blamed. And those things it can be blamed for, we kind of already knew.
Nonetheless, an excellent cast works hard to bring off this story of reporter Max Brackett (Dustin Hoffman), who `lucks into' an exclusive when a disgruntled, laid-off security guard (John Travolta) takes his former employer and a group of kids hostage in a museum while Brackett just happens to be in the bathroom. Travolta is to be commended for taking on a part that is not particularly sympathetic, in the form of a character that is not very bright. He and Hoffman carry the film as far as it can go, but by the end you are likely to feel that you're being hit over the head with the simplistic central message, such that the tragic coda loses impact. It's not a bad film, and with these talents it can't help but have its moments, but overall it's a bit of a missed shot.
1 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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A 'Dog Day Afternoon' At The Museum
Added 3/15/2009
Man, this was some indictment of the television-reporter-mentality! It was exaggerated, of course, but still interesting to see and in many respects good to see because of the onslaught of "tabloid journalism" that seems to have taken over the media in recent years.
Whatever, you can enjoy this film for the acting alone with Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Alan Alda, Robert Prosky, Mia Kirschner and Ted Levine. These actors, and some good dialog, make the film move along at a good clip despite the absence of much happening on screen.
The story gets you involved and reminds me of the famous 70s film, "Dog Day Afternoon," in which much of the film takes place in a bank. Here, it's a museum, and a man is in a predicament something like Al Pacino was in that film except Travolta's character here is totally innocent.
The screenwriters added bit of humor to this involving story and that made it even better. It's very good entertainment and certainly recommended.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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COMPLETELY ENGROSSING IF NOT COMPLETELY PLAUSABLE!
Added 9/1/2008
'Mad City' is an exceptional film with some minor flaws. The subject matter is intriguing and provocative. John Travolta deserves much of the credit for playing his character both sympathetically and unpredictability. Hoffman is great as usual in this tale of desperation, media manipulation and greed! It's easy to get engrossed in this drama although it's not completely plausible when it comes to police tactics allowing the media and civilians to bum rush scene in question etc., but it's a fascinating film and should not be passed up! The DVD transfer is very good.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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A good message, but flawed movie
Added 4/15/2008
I think this movie depicts how the media blows many incidents way out of proportion. In fact, they will desperately go to great lengths and alter what people said in order to present a more catchy, dramatic news headline. John Travolta portrays a man who lost his job a museum. All he wants is his job back. He brings in a gun to be used as threat but accidently fires it and kills a security guard. He realizes that his whole life is ruined. Meanwhile a reporter tries to portray Travolta as a working class man who was simply trying to provide for his family. He shuold serve some time but then should be granted a second chance. Basically he was trying to portray that not every criminal is evil at hurt. However, the media quickly revamped his story and turned it into a sick twisted, racist pig who is holding kids hostage.
As far as the movie goes, it is rather long and boring. Most of it is slow and dragged out over the 2 hour mark. This movie could have been made into an hour and a half. It starts and ends well but the middle became a bit confusing and can be very disinteresting for the viewer to follow.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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