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.
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.

John Travolta
Sam Baily

Dustin Hoffman
Max Brackett

Mia Kirshner
Laurie Callahan

Alan Alda
Kevin Hollander

Robert Prosky
Lou Potts

Blythe Danner
Mrs. Banks

William Atherton
Dohlen

Ted Levine
Lemke
356 ratings. The score is reasonably stable but could shift up to 0.13 as more ratings come in.
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Release Date
November 7, 1997
Runtime
1h 54m
Rating
PG-13
Genres
Drama, Thriller
Director