City of Angels

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City of Angels

PG-13

1998

1h 57m

Romance

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Popcornmeter

56%

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55 Reviews

82%

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250,000+ Ratings

This is the story of Seth (Nicolas Cage), an angel who wanders the Los Angeles area invisible to humans. As the demise of an individual approaches, he spends time near them and becomes visible while acting as their traveling companion during their trip to the great hereafter. His discovery of distraught heart surgeon Maggie (Meg Ryan) inspires him to forego his immortality and exist on earth with her as a feeling and mortal entity.

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Critics Consensus

City of Angels may not tug the heartstrings as effortlessly as it aims to, but the end results will still leave more than a few viewers in tears.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Sep 7, 2011

C

City of Angels is an exercise in rapt, soapy quietude — a hymn to sappiness.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 22, 2010

4/5

Glossy romance as an angel falls for a surgeon.

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Andrew Sarris

Observer

Apr 27, 2007

Strains to achieve the enchantingly sublime, but ends up sinking to the depressingly ridiculous.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Feb 8, 2023

6/10

Its concept of the fallen angel seems grounded to me by that illuminating presence of Nicolas Cage, but it lacks a few lights to reach heaven. [Full review in Spanish]

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James Croot

The Post NZ

Nov 30, 2021

3.5/5

Everything the over-the-top Ghost should have been - stylish, endearing and, watching it now 23 years on, enduring - City of Angels' only disappointment is that it didn't make even more of the Cannes-winning source material.

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Maitland McDonagh

TV Guide

Sep 18, 2008

3/4

The movie's eerie, slightly menacing vision of black-clad angels lurking in the shadowy corners of unsuspecting lives is genuinely haunting.

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Huntin P

@PaxVobiscum80 Sep 24, 2026

Worthless remake of Wings of Desire, which is a German film btw. It plays like a feature length commercial for instant coffee. Amazing to think that one of the angels went on to be the captain in Brooklyn Nine Nine. The sex scene has got to be one of the most laughable and cringey ever filmed for a mainstream audience. I bet lots of couples quoted the mid-congress dialogue to each other and laughed themselves off the mattress. Maybe you will too?

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Herb B

@herbside Sep 6, 2026

Spoilers! Wear you f—-ing helmet!

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Tracy F

@Tray72 Feb 3, 2026

I loved this movie when it came out!! Little out there but, to me a classic. Top 10 Eveytime I hear the Goo Goo Dolls I think of this movie. The end tore me up, I love an Unhappy ending for a change. When Meg was beyond adorable and Nick was the man. Maybe I'm being nostalgic 😔

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bao s

@RT77741678 Jan 25, 2026

Wut lol? Did the director watch the original or did some drunk person just tell him about it?

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Tyler P.

@TylerPhoenixMD Nov 26, 2025

Really enjoyed this! The acting was amazing, as well as the soundtrack to get you totally engaged!

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Kim P

@RT72072914 Nov 22, 2025

Great premise, great music, but the execution falls well short of its ambition.

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Brad Silberling

Director

Nicolas Cage

Seth

Meg Ryan

Maggie Rice

Andre Braugher

Cassiel

Dennis Franz

Nathaniel Messinger

Colm Feore

Jordan Ferris

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Synopsis

This is the story of Seth (Nicolas Cage), an angel who wanders the Los Angeles area invisible to humans. As the demise of an individual approaches, he spends time near them and becomes visible while acting as their traveling companion during their trip to the great hereafter. His discovery of distraught heart surgeon Maggie (Meg Ryan) inspires him to forego his immortality and exist on earth with her as a feeling and mortal entity.

Director: Brad Silberling
Producer: Charles Roven, Dawn Steel
Screenwriter: Wim Wenders, Peter Handke, Richard Reitinger, Dana Stevens
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Monarchy Enterprises B.V., Warner Brothers, Regency Enterprises, Atlas Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Sexuality|Language|Some Nudity)
Genre: Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 10, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $78.7M
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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