Mad City

A down-on-his-luck construction worker, Max (John Travolta), is fired and, in a moment of desperation, takes a museum director (Mia Kirshner) hostage. The event is captured by a news crew, including veteran reporter Sam Coleman (Dustin Hoffman), who sees a career-reviving story. As the situation escalates, a tense standoff unfolds, with Coleman trying to negotiate and Max's motivations becoming increasingly complex, all under the watchful eye of the public and the media.

Mad City received mixed reviews from critics. While some praised the performances of John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman and the film's exploration of media sensationalism, others found the plot to be convoluted and the social commentary heavy-handed. The film performed moderately at the box office.

• The film offers strong performances from its lead actors, particularly Travolta and Hoffman.
• It attempts to critically examine the role of media in shaping public perception and creating sensationalism.
• However, the narrative is often seen as predictable and somewhat heavy-handed in its messaging.

Google audience: Google users generally found the film to be a decent thriller with strong acting, though some felt the plot could have been more original and the themes more subtly handled.

Director Costa-Gavras, known for his political thrillers like 'Z' and 'Missing', chose to adapt this story due to its timely themes of media manipulation and public perception, which he felt were particularly relevant in the late 1990s.