The Majestic
I'm going to share a secret with you: Jim Carrey's acting talents reach far beyond comedy. You might as well keep it to yourself, because not many people would believe you anyways. Most moviegoers associate Carrey with sophomoric humor, ala Ace Ventura and Dumb & Dumber. Some people hold his on- and off-screen antics against him and close their minds to anything Carrey does. That is unfortunate, because Carrey has been proving his worth in dramatic roles in The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, and certain scenes in Liar Liar. In his latest drama, The Majestic, Jim Carrey shows that he may earn an Academy Award in the near future.
Screenwriter Peter Appleton's life couldn't get any better. He's getting steady work in Hollywood, and he's found love with an actress, Sandra Sinclair. One day, Peter's luck crashes down on him; he's been suspected of being a Communist (the film is set during McCarthyism). Peter is suspended from work, pending his testimony at a Congressional meeting. That same day, Sandra dumps him to prevent suspicion from ruining her career. Peter gets into a car accident on the way home and drives off a bridge.
Peter wakes up on a beach, not remembering who he is. A kindly citizen of the nearby town Lawson claims to recognize Peter's face from somewhere and takes him to a doctor. Along the way, the owner of the run-down movie theatre, Harry Trimble, sees Peter and knows exactly why he looks familiar. Harry believes that Peter is his son Luke who has been missing for almost 10 years after serving in WWII. Everyone else agrees to Peter's uncanny resemblance to Luke. The town has lost over 60 young men in the war, so ÒLuke'sÓ reappearance gives hope to Lawson. Harry, rejuvenated with happiness, decides to renovate the theater The Majestic. Peter's new life seems perfect once more. However, the Congressional investigators are getting closer to finding him.
One of the film's few flaws is its use of stereotypes. The diner's waitress is super-friendly. A surviving veteran is disabled and has a chip on his shoulder. The investigators searching for Peter are one-dimensional beaurocrats.
One of the The Majestic's most powerful elements is its articulation of the fundamental problems of the Communist witch-hunt. Without spoiling key scenes, it can be safely said that the manner in which Congress tried to expose Communists directly defies the principles on which the United States was formed. My other favorite aspect of the movie is the improvement of Peter's character. He is a decent guy in the beginning, but he became a better man.
Even though The Majestic is 2.5 hours long, every scene is important. It takes director Frank Darabont a good amount of time to develop characters and themes. This results in a maximum emotional response during the climax. If the director's name looks familiar, it's because he's directed two huge successes -- The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Once again, Darabont will bring you into a world filled with emotion. Thankfully, it's not in a prison this time.
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Peter gets wasted after losing his job and girlfriend. Feel free to down some sympathy suds.
The romantic subplot is predictable but still sweet.
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