THE MAJESTIC —** 1/2 — Jim Carrey, Martin Landau, Laurie Holden, David Ogden Stiers, Gerry Black, Allen Garfield, Bob Balaban, James Whitmore, Hal Holbrook; rated PG (profanity, violence); see the "On the Screen" column for complete listing of local theaters.
As pleasant as parts of "The Majestic" are, it's unfortunate that the filmmakers saw fit to resolve the film's major thematic conflict with a clunky courtroom scene.
That's something of a recurring theme in this '50s-era dramatic fable, a seeming attempt by director Frank Darabont to do a Capra-esque tale. The resolution to certain scenes and specific character arcs are forced and needlessly protracted.
Unfortunately, that's also a recurrent problem for Darabont, who made a major splash with his subtle adaptation of "The Shawshank Redemption" but then stumbled a bit with a ridiculously bloated version of "The Green Mile."
Here, it even manages to sap the film's vital energy and distract attention from what are some very nice sequences and performances. That includes Jim Carrey, who attempts here to further establish himself as a credible dramatic actor.
Carrey stars as Peter Appleton, a Hollywood screenwriter on the verge of getting his big break. However, something from his past has come back to haunt him — a brief association with individuals suspected of "un-American activities."
Rightfully frightened by the prospect of having to testify before Congress, Peter flees town. But a traffic mishap leaves him battered and without memory of his identity as he stumbles into a small northern California community, where he's mistakenly identified as Luke Trimble, the long-missing war hero and son of a retired movie-theater owner, Harry Trimble (Martin Landau). Needless to say, the "return" of one of the town's favorite sons is cause for celebration.
It's not just Harry who's elated, though. Luke's childhood sweetheart, Adele (Laurie Holden), is skeptical at first but begins experiencing romantic feelings for the new amnestic arrival, even as he starts helping his "father" restore the family business.
Meanwhile, authorities have noticed that Peter is missing and are scouring the state for him.
Among other problems, Michael Sloane's script is too ambitious. Its explorations of post-World War II small-town American, as well as its attempts to take jabs at the Hollywood entertainment industry, are enough material for any film. But when it attempts to address the "Red Scare," things get a bit overwhelming.
Still, the cast nearly makes it work, especially Carrey, who's even more restrained here than he was in "The Truman Show." He's well-matched with Landau, solid as always, and Holden (from TV's "The X-Files"), an appealing fresh face. (There are are some notables in small parts/cameos, such as Rob Reiner — overheard as a Hollywood exec — and, playing a B-movie actor, B-movie actor Bruce Campbell.)
"The Majestic" is rated PG for scattered use of profanity (mostly religiously based) and some violence (a scuffle and automotive mayhem). Running time: 152 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com