John Travolta,
Dustin Hoffman,
Mia Kirshner,
Alan Alda,
Robert Prosky
... see more 
Investigative TV journalist Max Brackett (Dustin Hoffman) suffers setbacks and winds up filing routine reports from Madeline, California. Max and his eager intern Laurie (Mia Kirshner) are doing a sto... read more
DVD Release Date: November 6, 2001
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Stats: 284 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (284)
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April 20, 2009I quite liked this movie, dustin hoffman was brill and so was john travoltas acting.
John travlta is a security guard who gets sacked but he wants it back so it turns into a hostage situation with dustin playing the reporter and in the heeart of it all.
I think this is a brilli... read more -
January 25, 2009A thought-provoking thriller that takes embedded journalism to a new level when a TV reporter (Hoffman) finds himself trapped in an accidental hostage situation. John Travolta plays to perfection the role of a simple, irate museum security guard who just wants his job back. Costa... read more
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December 21, 2008This movie is a tough call for the two lesding men! Maybe a little less acting, and more entertaining.
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August 6, 2008Unexpected ending, but the movie was boring overall. I don't know if it was that the actors were wrong for this movie or if it was just a bad movie.
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November 21, 2009Travolta's flexability is awesome in this "out of character" role. Can't imagine anyone doing it better.
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November 10, 2009I really disagree with what others said that this movie was bad and boring and whatever they say...This movie might be missing a little action and has a little too much dialogue but overall, it's pretty interesting for me, and besides I think that John Travolta has done a good pe... read more
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January 9, 2007Como todo Costa-Gravas, o filme possui sua mensagem.
Aqui, é como a mídia influencia nossas vidas. Boas interpretações dos protagonistas e um show à parte de Hoffman, extremamente generoso nas palavras de Travolta. -
July 11, 2006This film is actually pretty good. While didn't do that well and think some passed on it. It is interesting look at the media and how we are facinated by "crazy gun men".
Critic Reviews
August 21, 2006
Emanuel Levy, Variety
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today
A wanna-be event movie that merely reinvents the wheel.
May 23, 2007
Gary Brown, Houston Community Newspapers
Mad City is a waste of your time and money. Full Review
July 8, 2005
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
...a film of mild pleasures and mild annoyances, alternately tired and clever yet ultimately dismissible.
December 5, 2004
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
'The media are vultures' is the prevailing point here, and it is not expressed in the most original or interesting of ways. Full Review
July 14, 2003
Fred Topel, About.com
Compelling analysis of the modern media. Somewhat obvious, but still works.
January 1, 2000
James Sanford, rec.arts.movies.reviews
The weak material is unenthusiastically played by Dustin Hoffman and downright badly handled by John Travolta... Full Review
January 1, 2000
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The actors tried too hard to make something out of nothing. Full Review
January 1, 2000
Kevin Lally, Film Journal International
Has a fairly good view of the Big Picture, but its dramatic details never come into satisfying focus. Full Review
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Mad City
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