A black listed screenwriter suffers amnesia in a car wreck and ends up in an idealized small town called Lawson. Here he is mistaken for a thought-dead local war hero and helps his new dad rebuild an old theater.

Critics were all over the map on this one. Some praised its bold idealism and somewhat original socio-political commentary. However, many felt it was a total misfire, failing in nearly every attempt to convey any sort of meaningful entertainment.

Jim Carrey looks doe-eyed and lost throughout the film. But the script is more to blame than Carrey himself. Rarely any interesting dialogue, and convoluted meanings make The Majestic anything but. Lawson's citizens are so idealized that they fail to ever come into their own or develop any real emotions to care about.

The idea that a screenwriter is rebuilding a theater is empty here. Any intent to make this a movie about movies is lost, too. The theater did not represent or symbolize anything for me, it's a wasted device that unfortunately holds the film's title within itself.

As a romantic film, Carrey and Holden never have any surprising moments. Holden needed an inspired performance here to contrast the confusion and emptiness of Carrey's character; but the script, and perhaps her limited acting abilities, don't deliver.

A much more interesting take on the story is the possibility that Carrey actually could be the town's lost hero. Not enough attention is given to this. For a short time this is a very intriguing idea but ultimately falls away in the vastness of wasted ideas and political innuendos that pepper the script.

Director Darabont, chose a poor excuse for a script and Carrey may not have even read it before accepting the role, surely hoping a pairing with the otherwise successful director might garnish him the Oscar nomination he thinks he deserves.

Directed by Frank Darabont.