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Madison
MGM Studios

Madison reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 43 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
5.8 out of 10
based on 15 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 9 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: PG for some mild language and sports peril

Starring Jake Lloyd, Mary McCormack, James Caviezel, Bruce Dern, Reed Diamond, and Richard Lee Jackson

This father-son action/drama is based on the inspiring true story of the tiny, dying town of Madison, Indiana and its legendary, come-from-behind win in the 1971 race for the Gold Cup of hydroplane boat racing. (Addison Street Films)


GENRE(S): Drama  
WRITTEN BY: William Bindley
Scott Bindley
 
DIRECTED BY: William Bindley  
RELEASE DATE: DVD: September 13, 2005 
Theatrical: April 22, 2005 
RUNNING TIME: 105 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: USA 

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75
Chicago Tribune Michael Esposito
The result is a feeling of quiet heroism--people doing things because it's right to do them, even if it's not easy.
Read Full Review
75
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
What is it about Indiana that inspires movies about small-town dreamers who come from behind to win?
Read Full Review
50
Variety Justin Chang
Inspirational but uninspired sports movie.
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50
LA Weekly Kim Morgan
If not for the race sequences and the intriguing presence of Caviezel, who made this film before "The Passion of the Christ" and who one hopes will take on even more roles befitting his peculiar sad-eyed charisma, the film would amount to a well-intentioned snooze.
Read Full Review
50
Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
While Madison is earnest and inoffensive, it offers no surprises, few fascinating characters and a hackneyed script.
Read Full Review
50
Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
Tends toward the generic, and Jim Caviezel is hopelessly bland in the lead. Among the bright spots are Mary McCormack as the hero's wife and Bruce Dern as the wise old motorboat guru.
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50
TV Guide Ken Fox
This otherwise amiable family film plods whenever the action returns to dry land.
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50
The New York Times Anita Gates
Wants to be both heartwarming and quirky but is sometimes just cutesy instead.
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50
The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen
The drama gets stuck in a dispiritingly dull rut and fails to build toward what is supposed to be a something of a crowd-rousing triumph over adversity.
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50
The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias
Madison couldn't be more wholesome if they served it with a tall glass of fresh milk.
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42
Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Director and co-writer William Bindley engages every move in the underdog playbook, including, but not limited to, the time the good citizens of Bedford Falls chipped in to make up George Bailey's shortfall in "It's a Wonderful Life."
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40
Village Voice Benjamin Strong
Madison peddles condescending hokum as heartland values.
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40
Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust
Benefits from Caviezel's ability to project earnestness better than nearly any actor currently working, but its near-comic predictability, "What else could go wrong?" plotting and cliché-ridden screenplay sink it.
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38
New York Post Kyle Smith
By the time this corn festival is over, you'll be crying out for the relative toughness of the average Jimmy Stewart film.
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25
New York Daily News Jack Mathews
There isn't a scene, an action or a character that rings true, yet the narrative summary of the events that inspired it is a matter of record.
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What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 5.8 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Mitch C. gave it a10:
I liken this movie to a cross between "The Rookie" and "Heart Like A Wheel". I wish it would have gotten the wide release it deserved - especially in light of the movies making it to the screens nowadays. It couldn't do worse.

steven w. gave it a10:
Good family entertainment with a Hoosiers or Breaking Away feel. The good guys win and the bad/bud guys get thiers.

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