Laurie Holden and Jim Carrey in "The Majestic."

MOVIE INFORMATION

With 10 as a must-see, Jack gives this film a: Stars: Jim Carrey Director: Frank Darabont Rated: PG, profanity Length: 152 minutes

ROCHESTERCRITIQUE

Having seen this film, how would you rate it? 10 5 9 4 8 3 7 2 6 1

By Jack Garner
Democrat and Chronicle

(December 21, 2001) -- Like many show-business figures in the early '50s, up-and-coming Hollywood screenwriter Peter Appleton once had a youthful flirtation with a leftist organization. But by no stretch of the imagination is he a Communist.

The dreaded House UnAmerican Activities Committee, which isn't exactly known for restraint, calls him up anyway.

That night, a late-night car crash on a deserted bridge keeps him from testifying -- and throws him into an existence right out of the feel-good films of Frank Capra.

Frank Darabont, creator of the memorable Shawshank Redemption, directs The Majestic, a less successful but entertaining tale of sentiment and redemption.

A solemn Jim Carrey stars as Peter, who awakes after his car crash with a bad head wound and amnesia. He has no idea who he is, so he accepts what the amazed townspeople tell him.

The aged Harry Trimble (Martin Landau) swears the mysterious stranger is his son Luke, a local World War II hero who disappeared in Europe after the D-Day invasion and hasn't been seen for nearly a decade. Nearly everyone else in town believes he's Luke, too. Even Luke's old flame, the lovely Adele (Laurie Holden), soon accepts the man as the returning hero of the town.

The town is due for a much-needed boost because its sons were particularly hard-hit in the war, so Luke's return brings hope and purpose back to the community. That's further exemplified when "Luke" joins Harry in reopening the family business, a quaint, small-town movie theater called The Majestic.

The film offers three key narrative lines: Hollywood vs. the House committee, the return of the small-town hero and the restoration of a movie theater in the 1950s, when cinemas were closing all over America.

The script by Michael Sloane is a bit of patchwork, and Darabont doesn't always successfully blend the various elements, which also might explain the film's length.

The Majestic is not only about the movies of the '50s, it also feels like a '50s movie itself. From the earnest performance by Carrey -- in a Jimmy Stewart vein -- to the sweet-natured small-town supporting characters, the film's appeal is overtly old-fashioned and noncynical.

But it has problems with the era's politics, especially regarding the witch hunt: The citizenry in The Majestic seems quick to recognize the injustice and horror of the House proceedings. In truth, small-town America mostly rallied around the Congressional attempts to find Commies under every bed.

The performances in The Majestic are generally as fresh-faced and old-fashioned as the tale itself. Carrey successfully conveys the confusion of the amnesiac, as well as the sincerity and ambition of a guy trying to turn his life around. Unfortunately, there's almost no humor in his portrayal.

Landau matches Carrey's earnestness as his father. Better is newcomer Laurie Holden, as Luke's old girlfriend, caught between the thrill of finding her love returned from the grave and her suspicions about him.