Alternate Best Actor 2001: Jim Carrey in The Majestic

Jim Carrey did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Peter Appleton in The Majestic.

The Majestic is Frank Darabont's attempt to recapture the films of Frank Capra, which is an admirable ambition, if perhaps a bit foolhardy, not unlike the optimistic endeavors of a Capra protagonist, through the story of a Hollywood screenwriter who is mistaken, through a case of amnesia, for a young man lost in the war in a small town.

There's a challenge in attempting to recapture the world of Frank Capra, which was a very specific tone to begin with. The man that was known as Jim Carrey in the 90's probably wouldn't be one's first choice to the play the lead for an attempt to recapture "Capracorn", being best known for his irreverent comedic performances. This took place in his brief period where he seemed to attempt to balance his comic projects with some more dramatic material. While these typically involved comedy in one way or another, whether it be more subtle in the case of The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, or more overt in the case of playing a real comedian in Man on the Moon. This is an exception from the period in this is a purely dramatic turn from Carrey without even the most minor crutch when it comes to bringing a bit of humor into the proceedings for almost the entirety of the film. This simply just is Carrey as a straight leading man, and in that there is something one suddenly notices from the opening frames. That despite Carrey's usual elastic face, when tempered to a strict reality, he actually has perhaps more than just a passing resemblance to one of Capra's most noted leading men, Mr. Jimmy Stewart. Of course a man Carrey imitated in his standup acts, but this performance isn't to imitate Stewart, but rather evoke what that man delivered in his Capra performances.

That's no small challenge, and to successful deliver on this would be no small feat, as Stewart in his height with Capra delivered one of the greatest performances ever given. Now I'll admit right away that Carrey isn't able to produce a work equal to Stewart in Capra's greatest film It's a Wonderful Life, however his work does seem to understand some essential elements that were necessary to the greatness of Stewart's work in his Capra collaborations. This is from the outset of the film where we first see the screenwriter Peter listen as studio executives hack away at an idea of his. Carrey just listens on in thought elsewhere, and even in this action establishes that this will not be a typical Carrey turn. There is no attention seeking, no broad manner, but rather just an attempt to be a normal man. This I guess isn't too much in itself, I mean to tone it down, but his work goes beyond that as he establishes Peter as basically an unassuming screenwriter who is just trying to live out the Hollywood dream, to which he currently is at a lower rung of. Carrey's work though emphasizes this earnestness in this presentation of the man, and succeeds in just being so honestly straight forward. This again sounds a little strange as praise, but it is working towards creating a leading man turn of a bygone era.

Peter's world though is thrown into upheaval when he is accused of being a communist and faces a possible federal subpoena to "name names". Before that happens though he gets into a car accident, losing his memory, but being found by a loving small town. Carrey's performance that becomes even more Stewartesque as the man that so many begin to hold their hopes to, when a local man Harry Trimble (Martin Landau) incorrectly believes that Peter is in fact his son Luke, who was lost in the war. Peter's amnesia allowing him to at the very least not reject the claim, though also tentatively accepting it in a certain sense. This leaves Carrey an interesting challenge in very much relying on a charm, he had not really become known for, while also even reducing that to portray the man attempting to figure things out. Carrey's work is remarkable in the sense of creating a convincing state of confusion but also discovery in the moments of being told who he "is". This isn't too bad given that almost everyone loves Luke, even the lovely daughter of the town doctor, Adele (Laurie Holden). This in itself leading to a proper aw shucks romance, for Carrey to evoke the modest romantic manner that made Stewart's so special. This Carrey can do low key affection rather wonderfully, and he strikes up a nice chemistry with Holden, in that quiet yet potent fashion.

Carrey's performance works as he manages to deliver on the promise of being as earnest as the film is in terms of creating a portrait of basically optimism of the human spirit and of a small town whose existence is made simply by the existence of the return of this "Luke". There is no winking, or playing to a modern sensibility. Carrey carries himself with that spirit as well, and offers the essential non-judgement to the material's strictly genuine tone. Carrey more and more begins to appear as a Stewart sort and this transformation for him as a performer is impressive in itself. Carrey becomes this likable man who becomes part of the town, by romancing Adele, making friends with the local, and recreating the local theater back to its former glory with his "father". In all of this Carrey manages to evoke that old spirit fairly impressively, even as the narrative I'll say isn't as cohesive or compelling as the best of Capra, try as it might to be as such. Nonetheless Carrey's work remains consistent in trying to bring this somewhat flawed version of a Capra story to screen. This including when Peter, after having recovered his memories, must tend to the dying Harry knowing he's not his father. Carrey though is outstanding in offer some final comfort to the old man by "pretending" however Carrey is heartbreaking by only giving each reaction and word this strict honesty to support Peter's real love within a lie.

I will say where the film sort of falls apart, though not to the extent that I think it becomes a bad film even if it definitely comes short of its inspiration, is its ending. This is as Peter is hauled before congress while also dealing with not being Luke, but having to meet the sort of expectations left behind by the brave figure. Carrey's performance to his own credit remains consistent even as the film cannot quite juggle its various elements to the grand Capra finale that it is looking for. Again an admirable attempt even so that I won't be cynical about as some of the criticism towards this film was. Part of that is Carrey's whose performance gives that truth to the material by staying with it. This in portraying the phase of the Capra hero as he gives up, where I'd say is probably the biggest mistake in the whole film. This is as it is a little timid of the darkness, something Capra was not actually timid of nor was Stewart's performance, one can simply watch the scene where George Bailey lashes out at his family in It's A Wonderful Life, for evidence of that. The film rather treats this dilemma as Peter just going, "why not just make it easy", rather than being offered a real temptation, which sadly leaves Carrey's performance without sort of the real low needed to real bring out the power of the high. The film does have the attempted height in the form of the HUAC testimony where Peter pleads his case by evoking the proper spirit of America through remembering Luke essentially. This doesn't hit as hard as Smith's final words in Mr Smith Goes to Washington, or the ending of It's Wonderful Life. Carrey to his credit delivers on the requisite passion in the moment even the writing doesn't quite support him enough here. I'll also grant credit in the bit of humor here, Carrey doesn't fall upon any old tricks but rather evokes Gary Cooper in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, in his bit of mocking the bullying committee members. It's a well performed scene, but I have to admit it just doesn't reach the heights of the scenes it would wish to be compared to, although that does not mean it is a failure. Carrey's performance here though deserves admiration as he successfully evokes a classic leading man, the greatest one in fact in Jimmy Stewart, even though he doesn't reach the greatness of those turns. That's a high standard for anyone to match, especially when working with lesser material to be honest, and while Carrey doesn't quite reach it, he comes close enough to deserve comparison, which is a remarkable achievement in itself.