Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- nostalgic
- earnest
- romantic
- reflective weekend
- classic Hollywood night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film ponderous, overlong, derivative, and overly sentimental, though some praised its ideals and Jim Carrey's likable performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Peter Appleton's head injury leaves him unable to remember his screenwriting career, allowing Lawson residents to mistake him for Luke Trimble.
Peter loses his studio contract and film release after his inadvertent attendance at a Communist meeting draws congressional suspicion.
Peter and Harry rebuild the Majestic theater, reconnecting Lawson residents with their town's communal identity.
The restoration of the Majestic and its Golden Age Hollywood atmosphere frame cinema as a civic gathering place.
Films like The Majestic, and why
It's a Wonderful Life
shared nostalgic small-town drama, idealistic civic community, and emotionally sincere American values
The Front
shared Hollywood setting, political persecution, and principled drama about freedom of expression
Overboard
shared amnesia premise, mistaken identity, romance, and restorative emotional tone
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
shared Frank Capra-inspired sentimentality, ordinary citizens defending justice, and courtroom-adjacent moral conflict
Movie Details
- Director
- Frank Darabont
- Release Date
- 2001-12-21
- Runtime
- 153 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (870)
Cast
- Jim Carrey
- Martin Landau
- Laurie Holden
- Gerry Black
- David Ogden Stiers
- Bob Balaban
- Jeffrey DeMunn
- Hal Holbrook
- Brent Briscoe
- Ron Rifkin
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Majestic about?
- An accused Hollywood screenwriter with amnesia finds a temporary home in a grieving California town that mistakes him for its missing war hero.
- What is The Majestic like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Majestic as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Majestic violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Majestic as mild.
- What did critics think of The Majestic?
- Critics broadly found the film ponderous, overlong, derivative, and overly sentimental, though some praised its ideals and Jim Carrey's likable performance.
- Which films are like The Majestic?
- Films with a similar feel include It's a Wonderful Life, The Front, Overboard, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
- How long is The Majestic?
- The Majestic runs 153 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Majestic?
- In United States, The Majestic is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
