Mad City

6.2
Moderate
19971h 54m

Directed by

Overview

A misguided museum guard who loses his job and then tries to get it back at gunpoint is thrown into the fierce world of ratings-driven TV gone mad.

MovieMagicScore Overview

Auto-generated

Mad City (1997), directed by Costa-Gavras, is a drama-thriller that turns a tense standoff into a sharp critique of media spectacle. A laid-off museum guard, desperate to reclaim his job, ends up holding hostages at gunpoint, only to be swept into a ratings-hungry news cycle that magnifies and distorts the crisis. Tense and pointed, the film examines how television manufactures stories, the ethics of journalism, and the manipulation of public sympathy. Its mood is anxious and morally probing. Recommended for viewers drawn to socially conscious thrillers and media satire. It holds a MagicMovieScore of 6.2.

An automated summary to help you decide what to watch — not a user review or critic rating.

Trailer

Top Cast

John Travolta - Sam Baily in Mad City

John Travolta

Sam Baily

Dustin Hoffman - Max Brackett in Mad City

Dustin Hoffman

Max Brackett

Mia Kirshner - Laurie Callahan in Mad City

Mia Kirshner

Laurie Callahan

Alan Alda - Kevin Hollander in Mad City

Alan Alda

Kevin Hollander

Robert Prosky - Lou Potts in Mad City

Robert Prosky

Lou Potts

Blythe Danner - Mrs. Banks in Mad City

Blythe Danner

Mrs. Banks

William Atherton - Dohlen in Mad City

William Atherton

Dohlen

Ted Levine - Lemke in Mad City

Ted Levine

Lemke

Community
6.2
356 votes
My Score
N/A
Login to rate
6.1
Moderate confidence
Bayesian
6.09
95% interval
±0.13
Ratings
356

356 ratings. The score is reasonably stable but could shift up to 0.13 as more ratings come in.

Why we're confident →

Where to Watch

Click icons to visit streaming services directly. Streaming service names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners.

Movie Info

Release Date

November 7, 1997

Runtime

1h 54m

Rating

PG-13

Genres

Drama, Thriller

Director

All Reviews

Sort by:
Weekly Movie Picks, every Friday to your inbox