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First I want to make it very clear, I can’t stand Jim Carrey, the films he stars in and his scene stealing, over acting, over the top behavior he exhibits in those films. When it came to The Grinch it was still Jim Carrey even though he was disguised in that garish green costume. He was still a fire marshal freak and couldn’t act his way out of a screen test. When he was snubbed by the Oscar’s for The Trumann Show, well the Academy knew Jim Carrey wasn’t a real actor, only a improv comedian looking for the cheap laugh trying to shake the stereotype with a drama. To tell the truth I was not looking forward to The Majestic directed by Frank Darabont. But to my surprise, and relief it was a very good movie. The writing by Michael Sloane was in fact believable and not at all predictable. For a sappy little town, with sappy little town folk and a sappy little love story this movie deserves an Oscar nomination for Carrey and a new found respect for a creditable dramatic performance. The film begins in 1950’s Hollywood when B movie writer Peter Appleton (Carrey of Me, Myself and Irene) just released his new movie and has the world at his feet because his next film is about to begin production. He walks into the studio to find the staff had been sent home and he was wanted in the producer’s office. It turns out that while in college (they made sure to mention he went to school on the GI Bill after returning from the war) he attended some communist meeting and is now wanted by the FBI. He said he was trying to impress some girl and didn’t even understand what they were talking about. Well with his career trashed and about to face legal action he ties one on. Then after leaving the bar decides to drive up the coast with his stuffed monkey. He drives over a single lane bridge and oddly enough an opossum crosses in the center of it. (Now how the hell an animal just happens to be on a single lane bridge and wants to cross in the center baffles me, but whatever.) Carrey swerves to miss the opossum and crashes into the side of the wood bridge and then his sports car falls into the water. Carrey washes up on the beach and a friendly old man takes him to the town diner for a meal and to meet up with the town doctor Benjamin “Doc” Stanton (David Ogden Stiers of Atlantis and oh yeah, MASH). You see Carrey remembers nothing. He doesn’t know how he got there, his name or where he is from. While walking through town Carrey is told how many young men were lost to the war from this town. In fact they have a memorial statute from the President to honor the fact this town gave the most to the war. While the doctor is examining Carrey, his father Harry Trimble (Martine Landau) comes in to announce his son Luke (Carrey) is back from the war now. Carrey reluctantly goes along with all the town celebrations only because they seem so happy and he can’t be sure he is not Luke. The big bonus is his childhood sweetheart and fiancé Adele Stanton (Laurie Holden) is home from law school and is reintroduced to Luke. While he is getting to know Adele, the doctors daughter, his father Harry wants to reopen his theater, Luke’s great love, The Majestic, a run down shell of the glory it once held. Now I won’t give away what happens after this point because it would be much better to see it for yourselves. Not only is Carrey wonderful in this role, he does not once attempt to steal a scene, overact or just make an ass of himself. Also starring in this movie is Catherine Dent of Someone Like You, Bob Balaban of Ghost World and Allen Garfield of The Ninth Gate. I give this charming picture a nine on the About-Movies.com scale. The End.
Last updated: Saturday, October 28, 2006 05:37:40 PM Click Here to get back into frames.
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