REVIEW: MAD CITY (1997)
by Chris Webb copyright 1997
Cast: John Travolta (Sam Baily), Dustin Hoffman (Max Brackett), Mia Kirshner (Laurie), Alan Alda (Kevin Hollander). Directed by Costa-Gavras. Written by Tom Matthews and Eric Williams.
You have seen it every night on the television: pushy reporters, microphones flying, cameras rolling at times of tragedy, the spotlight on the victim, innane questions from the anchor desk. Its the mind-boggling flurry of the media blitz at its best, searching for the best, most sensational story, controlling the way the public sees the news. Behind the scenes are the back-stabbing egomaniacs searching for the upper hand on the other guys.
"Dog Day Afternoon" showed the effects of hostage-taker on the media. "The Chase" showed the media's ratings-conscious attitude toward tense situations. "Absence of Malice" displayed the way the media can harm its subjects. Costa-Gavras' "Mad City" mixes all three of these, creating one of the more thought-provoking films of the year. While countless films have examined the cutthroat world of journalism, they seem to forget about how they deal with the people inside the story.
Max Brackett (Dustin Hoffman) was once a leading network reporter whose grandstanding of Kevin Hollander (Alan Alda) during an airline crash has left him demoted to local news in Madeline, California. Covering fluff pieces and toting intern Laurie (Mia Kirshner) around leave him with little hope for reentering the big time.
Sam Baily (John Travolta) was a security guard at the local museum, a victim of budget cuts. Unable to tell his wife or to provide for his children, he returns to the museum with gun in hand so that he will be heard and hopefully regain his job. Brackett had just done a story on the museum, placing him in the middle of what turns into a hostage situation. A school field trip is trapped inside, raising the potential attraction of the story. These two downward spiraling men become the nations attention.
Baily accidentally shoots a black guard who kept his job, moving Brackett into the position of damage control. In effect, he becomes the producer, director, and writer of the "greatest show in town" that will raise his credibility level in the media. Brackett wins public opinion for Baily, running in and out of the museum controlling police action and how the public perceives who should be the villain. Sam Baily becomes a hero who just wants his job back. As the story becomes headlines, Hollander moves in. In his private war with Brackett, Hollander upstages the event through some editing that turns Baily and Brackett into mere pawns in the hands of the fickle public.
Freshman writers Tom Matthews and Eric Williams hit upon a topic that will keep audiences seated, manipulating our emotions the way our onscreen counterparts are swayed by each shred of information. Some lapses involving smaller stories do exist, but overall they have crafted an intriguing overview of the media-public relationship.
Brackett knows the game, teaching the hapless Baily the rules along the way. Sometimes it is difficult to tell who has taken hostages here. While Baily holds fifteen people, Brackett holds the world at his mercy. He orchestrates the ordeal, forgetting that he cannot pull the plug; only Baily can finish it. As much as Brackett thinks so, he essentially becomes powerless in his own production, going from following the story to part of it. His decline in stature as the situation spins out of his control is most enjoyable to watch.
Hoffman and Travolta put in solid performances, as control-monger and poor soul. After appearing briefly in the aptly named "Sleepers," Hoffman seems to be back to his commanding form. Travolta, meanwhile, continues his hot streakon the heels of this year's "Face/Off" and his well-received performance in the otherwise lackluster "She's So Lovely."
"Mad City" closes with a view from above: booms, microphones, cameras, police, and a mob of reporters. The consequences of Brackett's and Baily's actions pale in the face of the edgier story, business continues as usual. This film leaves the viewer with the question: who are the victims in the media blitz? This movie argues that everyone is. From the reporters' integrity to the audience's trust, nothing is untouched or unsoiled by the finish. While the characters of "Mad City" learn nothing, the viewers of this solid and enjoyable film can go home and ponder the message.
My Grade: B+
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