Review of Quiz Show (1994) by Scott J — 13 Aug 2011

A dramatization of the quiz show scandal of the late 1950s involving contestants being fed answers on the popular program "Twenty-One", "Quiz Show" is a well-made, entertaining film with an all-star cast.

But it's not much more than that. The film is able to capture the viewer's attention for a couple hours and hold it there, and for that it should be commended, but the theme it tries to drive down throughout the film just doesn't ring true in modern day.

The film's anti-television message works well in the time period in which the film is set -- the late 1950s -- but not when the film was actually made, 1994, or especially now. Without a doubt, it's an entertaining, intriguing, well-made film, and it's certainly worthy of the Academy Award nominations it earned, but there's no "wow factor" to the film.