losing a job is not an all too uncommon thing .
reacting to such a personal setback by taking a group of small children hostage is a bit more rare .
while we all might feel the desire to blow someone 's head off with a shotgun when they do n't seem to grasp our point of view , actually threatening them with one is usually something we avoid .
this is n't the case with sam baily - john travolta 's slightly askew average - joe persona in mad city .
"
i do n't think people listen to guys like me , " sam laments during an exclusive interview from behind the walls of a museum .
just a few days ago , sam was a guard at this same museum , but when cutbacks led to the elimination of his security position , sam 's apprehension resulted in a brash decision .
in an effort to get his ex - boss , museum director mrs .
banks ( blythe danner ) , to " just listen " , he barges into the museum one day equipped with a fully loaded shotgun , taking the uncooperative banks and a group of school children hostage .
sam 's overall concern is valid enough - if he loses his job , his paycheck , his benefits , etc . , his wife and two children wo n't be provided for .
he 's not a lunatic or a hot - tempered madman , he 's somewhat like a child - panicky , compulsive , and running on emotion - and his naive intentions are n't helped any by the fact that banks was n't overly compassionate with the let go .
overall , he 's just like you and me - except that he has the capacity to view the line we 'd deem " far enough " as the starting mark of some crazy race .
meanwhile , television reporter max brackett ( dustin hoffman ) is also on the scene .
covering a " fluff " story for the evening news concerning the museum cutbacks , max suddenly finds himself in the middle of the biggest - breaking news story he ever could 've hoped for . having been demoted from network newsman to smalltime affiliate reporting , max is anxious to turn this into his , and only his , story .
max immediately bonds with sam .
max even coaches sam thru hostage negotiations and writes scripts for him to use with the police over the phone .
at first , max 's intentions do n't stretch beyond high ratings and a good boost to the ole pride factor , but as he gets to know sam more personally , he begins to sympathize and even become somewhat of an advocate for him .
the media , however , is creating a frenzy that leaves the fickle public shifting gears as often as a diesel truck moving downhill .
the accidental shooting of ex - co- worker cliff ( bill nunn ) , a black security guard , becomes one of the main factors in the controversy over sam 's honest ambitions .
also involved in this film are robert prosky as lou potts , head of the news department of the station max falls directly under , and alan alda as the nationally famed reporter kevin hollander , who uses his network power to try and outshine max .
alda and prosky
both turn in fine performances that fit like gloves on their acting abilities .
then there is mia kirshner , who plays the young tv station intern laurie .
she falls under max 's wings only to become a student taught too well in the way of sensationalistic reporting .
kirshner 's credits are relatively small for now , including roles in films like exotica and the forgettable sequel to the crow .
still , kirshner 's character transformation shows that she has shining ability to play both good girl and kinda - bitchy - in - a - reserved - way roles .
i would n't mind seeing her in some more prevalent parts , where perhaps her talent will be able to blossom more fully onscreen .
while the viewpoint of the media as a greedy , self - righteous monster has indeed been tackled before , mad city provides a solid two hours of enjoyability .
hoffman and travolta are both excellent actors , and seeing them together is a real treat .
they both do a great job at smoothly and naturally becoming their characters , and they provide enough chemistry for us to genuinely care for both .
there is quite a bit of humor in this film , and without it , it could 've fallen into a drab , cliched social statement more likely to garner sleep from the audience than applause .
this is n't a flick that will grip at both your funny bone and your heart , but it will lightly touch both , making for a recommendable movie .
if for nothing more than the opportunity to watch both hoffman and travolta at the same time , i urge you to check this one out .
i urge you to check this one out it will lightly touch both , making for a recommendable movie do a great job at smoothly and naturally both turn in fine performances provides a solid two hours of enjoyability she has shining ability both excellent actors , and seeing them together is a real treat