A disgruntled security guard holds a school trip group hostage, while a news reporter forms a bond with him.
Director:
Costa-Gavras
From metacritic.com
From his roles in Just Mercy to Straight Outta Compton, O'Shea Jackson Jr. knows a thing or two about great biopics.
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Title: Mad City (1997)
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1 nomination.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| John Travolta | ... | Sam | |
| Dustin Hoffman | ... | Brackett | |
| Mia Kirshner | ... | Laurie | |
| Alan Alda | ... | Kevin Hollander | |
| Robert Prosky | ... | Lou Potts | |
| Blythe Danner | ... | Mrs. Banks | |
| William Atherton | ... | Dohlen | |
| Ted Levine | ... | Lemke | |
| Tammy Lauren | ... | Miss Rose | |
| William O'Leary | ... | CTN Junior Executive | |
| Raymond J. Barry | ... | Dobbins | |
| Lucinda Jenney | ... | Jenny | |
| Akosua Busia | ... | Diane | |
| Ebbe Roe Smith | ... | Bartholomew | |
 |
Bingwa | ... | Nat Jackson |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
See All (57) »
Storyline
Sam Baily, upset over losing his job, takes a natural history museum hostage. Max Brackett, journalist, is in the museum when this occurs, and gets the scoop. The story spreads nation wide, and soon it is all anyone talks about. The story itself is the news, not the reason why or the real people behind it. Written by <freckles@vivid.net>
Plot Keywords:
hostage | museum | natural history museum | news reporter | reporter |Taglines:
One man will make a mistake. The other will make it a spectacle. See more »Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG-13 for depiction of a hostage situation, including violence and brief language | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
7 November 1997 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Mad City See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$50,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$4,649,742, 9 November 1997Gross USA:
$10,541,523Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$10,541,523Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
from "La Bohème"
Music by Giacomo Puccini (as Puccini)
Text by Giuseppe Giacosa (as Giacosa) after Henri Murger (as Murger)
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Mad City is a 1997 crime drama from director Costa-Gavras and the films stars John Travolta, Dustin Hoffman, Blythe Danner and Alan Alda. In the film, John Travolta stars an angry ex museum guard whom takes his former employer (Blythe Danner) and children hostage unaware a TV reporter (Dustin Hoffman) is hiding in the toilet and has reported the hostage situation live on TV but, an arrogant rival TV reporter (Alan Alda) sets out to bring the TV reporter in the museum down and accuses him of deliberately endangering the lives of the hostages. See more »Soundtracks
Musetta's Waltzfrom "La Bohème"
Music by Giacomo Puccini (as Puccini)
Text by Giuseppe Giacosa (as Giacosa) after Henri Murger (as Murger)
See more »
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A brilliant examination of our media-driven culture, by a film-maker who has lost none of the passion and intelligence which previously crafted such definitive political thrillers as 'Z' and 'State of siege'. I am staggered that Costa-Gavras could bring this one off while actually working within the American media empire he excoriates!
There's enough stuff here to keep any serious media-studies or political theory courses in seminars and theses for years! I immediately bought a video copy after seeing it - in Glorious SpottiVision - on Britain's quirkily watchable Channel 5; I shall be giving it regular viewings from now on. Few and far between are such examples of intellectually adult and satisfying cinema these days. Truly one to savour, unless you prefer to leave your brains out when watching films.
And Travolta's performance as the wretched ex-guard - a far from simple simpleton - is a revelation: The man is magnificent - Oscar-worthy - the great Hoffman is forced to accept a supporting role!
A great, widely misunderstood film by a true master of cinema.