The Majestic

I just finished watching The Majestic, a 2001 show starring Jim Carrey and Laurie Holden.  Most of you would know Carrey from his earlier and much less credible flicks like The Mask and other equally forgettable shows.  And of course, who can forget his penchance for over acting.  However, in this show, his acting is more mellowed and nuanced.  Not that he's getting an Oscar anytime soon, but he actually tried acting out his character.  And I must say he did a very decent job.

And while it was set in 1951, i.e., some years after World War II ended, it had a good plot.  That war ended in 1945 for those who're too young to know this.  In the show, he played a Hollywood writer who's accused of being a Communist.  Suddenly, he lost his career, girlfriend and basically the life he had.  He went for a spin in his car, got into an accident and promptly developed amnesia. 

He then stumbled into a small town where he was mistaken for a long lost son of the owner of The Majestic, the only cienema in town but which has seen better days.  He became Luke, and started to make a difference to the lives of all who lived in this town.  His coming back from the dead brought hope and lifted the gloom that pervaded everyone and everything previously.  In particular, he met Adele, who was Luke's girlfriend.  They fell in love and he became energised to contribute to the town.  He got his father and their 2 help to revamp the cinema, with the whole town chipping in, and this injected much life into the place.

Alas, the end came when Federal agents found out where he was and he also recovered his memory.  He was hauled back to the city to testify in court as to whether he had Communist leanings.  Despite the advice of his lawyers, he took a stand and spoke out against the persecution of Communists.  That the America war heroes like Luke died to protect and preserve was not the small and cruel country the hearing represented.  He made an impassioned speech and managed to get off the hook.  He later returned to the town, not sure whether he would be welcomed by Adele.  But to his surprise, everyone turned up to welcome him home.  Of course, Adele was there.

This is not a classic as classics go, but it struck a chord in me.  The show is about standing up for your beliefs, being prepared to die for a worthy cause and not taking the easy way out when in trouble.  It shows how idealistic America is, and which it should be. For those who read American history, you'll know why they are the way they are.  At the end of the day, if we're not able to live out our ideals, what good is there in living.  While I may not always love the Americans, I do admire their strong belief in altruistic values, such as justice, equality and freedom.  I guess we should strive to remember this than to be dragged down into the gutter of life.    

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