The Truman Show (Wide Screen) > Reviews > The joke is on us. Not Truman.

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	Impeccable casting .  Truly innovative plot and strong writing
Disadvantages:	Not for the action junkie .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Jim Carrey must have been licking his lips when he received the script for 1998's hit reality-drama, The Truman Show. So often cast in wildly unflattering roles, many had forgotten that he could apply himself to a demanding lead requiring more than a series of over-the-top rough and tumble gags. Carrey spent much of the 90's as the prince of Slapstick. If you took the combined IQ of the characters that he portrayed in that time, you'd be struggling to reach double figures. But make no mistake, the man can act. So when he signed on to become Truman Burbank, you could forgive Jim for sensing an opportunity to get back at his critics. Get back he does, in one of the most understated movies of his career.

When i watch a Jim Carrey movie, i always ask myself the same question. Was this written with his lead in mind? Carrey has a knack of taking his characters and amping the outrage to levels which simply aren't attainable by other slapstick comedians on the scene. The sheer catalogue of facial expressions, hysterical reactions and animal noises in his repertoire put him on a plain of his own. It can be a slightly draining experience to watch Carrey go about his business. But who else could do the job that he does?

The Truman Show is the story of the first ever baby to be legally adopted by a corporation. As the earliest born of six candidates, millions tune in across the globe to witness their new favorite soap star as he begins what is to become the longest running TV show in history.

Truman is no ordinary baby. He's a star. The star of the show, you might say.

The largest man-made structure visible from space plays host to a fake world, designed to contain Truman as thousands of cameras capture his every move and broadcast it across the world. Naturally, Truman has no idea that the pretend world he exists in is any different from our own. All the while, the "God" of the fake world, Christof (played by the extremely talented Ed Harris) watches over his international star.

Reality television has become a prominent fixture in our television schedules since the turn of the millennium, whether we like it or not. The Truman Show exists as a bleak forecast of the state of the nation over the years that were to follow its release. Millions tune in to watch others enjoy their fifteen minutes of fame on shows such as Big Brother. But what if the housemate knew no other reality than the one which was presented to them in the Big Brother house? This is the question which The Truman Show poses.

It's a romantic concept that plays on our fascination with the great unknowns in the world. Is there a greater plan for us? Are we really just pawns with eyes on what somebody else would like us to see?

It's a rare thing to be able to say that a Hollywood picture stands out for its creative originality. But The Truman Show excels that. From the camera angles that capture Truman, to the razor sharp script and its story subplots. This is a movie which has been crafted from the ground up with an affectionate eye for details. Considering the nature of the topic, it could quite easily have been half cooked and sold on the name of the man appearing in the trailers.

Much of the story hovers around Truman's fascination with travelling the world. But having watched his father drown at sea, he now lives with a fear of the water. All of this, naturally, is contrived to convince Truman that the land beyond his hometown simply isn't worth visiting.

But as we watch Truman go about his life, strange events begin to occur that lead him to question his presence on the island of Seahaven. Like when a stage light falls from the sky in an open street. How would we respond to that in everyday life? We would probably shrug it aside and get on with our lives, just as Truman does. But the abnormalities continue to mount and sooner rather than later, Truman begins to suspect that the utopian town isn't as it seems.

What makes The Truman Show such a success is the thought injected in to every last question that the viewer might have. Questions that so many movies would neglect in favour of pomp and ceremonial effect.

Almost all of the camera shots are fed to us in the same fashion that the viewers watching Truman would receive. From the button camera to a hidden screen in his bathroom mirror, there's truly no escape from the prying eyes for poor Truman. But this all adds to the experience as a Hollywood piece. We slip in to the world with ease and begin to relate to Truman in the same way that we'd see our favorite Big Brother housemate. If you have one, that is. I, for one, would pay to be relieved of that particular programme.

The casting is impeccable from top to bottom. Ed Harris instills a firm sense of power in Christof with a sterling performance. Truman's friends and family all form a stoic bunch of personalities who reel off lines fed to them as a way of manipulating the lead star, and above all else, ensuring that his future remains in front of the camera. But Truman has other ideas. He unwillingly sets off with the wishful dream of making in to Fiji and finding the girl he lost so many years prior. A classic example of teasing the viewer and enticing them in to a situation that we know all too well. The grass is always greener on the other side, and we all dream of brighter pastures. Truman has his heart set on getting away from Seahaven. But with a camera to follow his every move and the population of an entire country keeping him put, will he ever make it to the real world?

We probably wouldn't care, if it wasn't for the tender care that's been taken in bringing these characters to life.

The Truman Show serves up something completely different for Carrey, and in supplying him with such a viciously potent script, this is probably Jim's finest hour. He takes hold of Truman and moulds him in to a character that radiates warmth, while applying the trademark slapstick moments in equal measure. Peter Weir, the man behind the camera, has exceeded with the unenviable job of milking the serious side of his superstar lead, and Carrey delivers by the bucket load. But that's not to say that he drags the movie on his own laden shoulders. What makes The Truman Show work is the fine supporting cast who allow Truman to come to life in his world - a tribute which applies directly to the plot, as well as the cast.

It's a rare thing to become emotionally embroiled in a Hollywood flick, least not one which pairs Carrey's Liar Liar slapstick with the precise measure of Ed Harris's Apollo 13. We're left with an unusual blend of drama and one of the most inventive pictures of the 90's. One which acts more as a damning criticism of our reality driven television habits than anything else.

The DVD comes with your standard subtitle options and trailers, although you won't find much in the way of replay value as bonus material. If you're looking for additional footage, check out the special edition set which provides a comprehensive package of just about everything Truman.

It has to be said that if you thrive from adrenaline filled action and muscle rather than plot, The Truman Show is not for you. I would, however, recommend it to anybody who feels inclined to question the nature of the society that we live in. Far from being simply Hollywood entertainment, this is the type of movie that will have you looking at the stars above and questioning whether they are what the television says they are. A thoroughly enjoyable slice of reality-drama, and one of the last original concepts of the twentieth century. Don't miss it.