Review of Mad City (1997) by Jack Y — 10 May 2008

Excellent idea, though relying a tad heavily on the abilities of its cast. Mad City shows how reputations are made and destroyed in short spaces of time through the mediaâ??but it’s probably afterwards that one begins to absorb it all and see how one is being manipulated.

Travolta is a security guard who takes hostages in order to get his job back, the first time he has adopted a blue-collar persona since Phenomenon (admittedly mixing more Vinnie Barbarino into his Sam Bayly role).

Hoffman relies on the depth that everyone knows he has. The chilling, closing freeze-frame is Costa-Gavras’ way of pushing the film’s message home, saying: this machine does not stop, and it will be fed.