Jim Carrey’s quest to become a serious actor has led him to take some interesting roles. First, he was the media-fueled, crazed cable guy in The Cable Guy. Then, he was Truman Burbank, the man who everyone watched, in The Truman Show. His most recent, before the movie I’m about to review, was as Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon. In all of these films, Carrey has relied on his comedic talents to a degree.
In The Majestic, a movie directed by Frank Darabont of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile fame, Carrey does not rely on his comedic tendencies at all. In fact, if this role were played by Jimmy Stewart in the late 1940s, no one would bat an eye.
The Majestic tells the tale of Peter Appleton (Carrey), a scriptwriter in pre-Red Scare Hollywood. His girlfriend is a budding actress; he cruises around Hollywood in a Mercedes convertible and his new script is about to put him on the “A-list.” That is until the Red Scare comes to his studio. Suddenly, a meeting he attended in college puts his career in jeopardy. His script is reviewed by a government board, the production is cancelled, and his girlfriend dumps him. Feeling depressed at this horrible turn of events, Peter takes a drive up the coast and gets into a car accident that leaves him with amnesia.
He’s found by a man walking his dog, who thinks he looks awfully familiar, who takes him to the small town of Lawson, California. The local doctor, who treats Peter’s injuries, also thinks he looks familiar. Finally, Harry Trimble (Martin Landau) sees Peter and believes he is his son, Luke, who was lost in World War II nine years earlier. Peter, who has no clue who he is, accepts this as fact and tries to reclaim his memory as Luke.
As the local townsfolk introduce themselves and try to jog his memory, “Luke” helps them get over the depression that has set upon the town since the war ended. Many of Lawson’s young men were lost in the war and the town really hasn’t recovered from that. Seeing “Luke” return from the dead injects enthusiasm and hope back into the town. His return inspires Harry Trimble to reopen the town’s theater, The Majestic.
Eventually, though, Peter’s absence from Hollywood sends up a red flag. Anti-communist investigators, including a nasty Elvin Clyde (Bob Balaban), a member of the House Un-American Activities Committee, theorize that Peter is on the lamb and this can only mean he’s a much larger fish to fry than they had originally thought. He must be found and brought back to Hollywood to testify before the committee.
The Majestic is unapologetically patriotic but not in the form of the current trendy blind patriotism. It reminds the audience to ask questions that need asking, especially in post-9/11 times, when civil liberties are being stripped in the name of “doing your duty for your country.” The movie also has a nostalgic side that makes one long for simpler times and simpler pleasures like taking in a movie or even going for a walk with your significant other.
Jim Carrey has never been better in a dramatic role. There are light comedic moments, but nothing that requires Carrey to revert to his manic style. That’s a good thing. Martin Landau, Laurie Holden and David Ogden Stiers are all good in their roles as well. The real hidden treat here is Gerry Black as Emmett Smith, the Majestic’s usher.
The Majestic is a fine, if slightly overlong, film that is strong on performances and political grandstanding but just a bit heavy on clichés. Still, it’s worth seeing, especially for Carrey’s work and the fine musical score.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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