Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Set in 1951, a blacklisted Hollywood writer gets into a car accident, loses his memory and settles down in a small town where he is mistaken for a long-lost son.
The Majestic is a competent but overly sentimental Capra-esque drama that blends amnesia, mistaken identity, and McCarthyism-era themes. The plot hits familiar beats without much surprise, and the ending leans heavily into patriotic speechifying that feels unearned and overwrought. Jim Carrey gives a restrained, earnest performance but the supporting cast is largely underutilized. Cinematography by David Tattersall capably evokes the nostalgic 1950s small-town aesthetic but doesn't transcend its references. The film's combination of themes had potential for distinctiveness but the execution is largely derivative of Frank Capra's style without adding meaningful new dimensions.