The Truman Show is an excellent film which I’d always meant to watch but somehow never got round to before. I have to admit that it wasn’t quite what I was expecting – films starring Jim Carrey tend to have a lot of stupidity and his rubber-faced antics, but this is a serious and thought-provoking film, with a few elements of humour thrown in (and one or two rubber-faced antics for Carrey’s younger fans). Like the rest of the planet I did, of course, know the basic plot before watching the film, of course – Truman himself is the star of an extreme form of “reality TV”. Whereas the incomprehensively prevalent so-called reality TV shows of today are anything but, there’s something special about The Truman Show - it’s star doesn’t actually know that he’s on a TV show. To him, this is his real life, and always has been.
There are several things that make this a special film. Though anyone who has read a significant amount of science fiction many not agree with one review that says it is “spectacularly original”, it is a theme not really explored in movies very much and is well handled. Like almost any film, if you think about it much there are some plot flaws that do appear, but in general the script is very clever and the sets fantastic, creating a truly believable environment for the film. It’s the performances of the two main stars that really stand out here though – Jim Carrey is excellent as Truman, who becomes increasingly more bemused by strange events happening around him, and it’s certainly his most mature performance in any film that I’ve seen him in. (Though I did love “The Mask” and “Liar, Liar” as well, those were very different performances.) For an actor who rarely seems at home portraying emotion, he does a terrific job here. Eclipsing even his fine performance though is Ed Harris as Christof, who I can’t remember ever giving a bad performance, and who here is nothing short of sensational. He plays the Programme Controller of the Truman Show, the man who originally conceptualised the program. His performance is utterly convincing and his character isn’t a simple “evil guy” either – you really get the sense that despite everything, he has an almost paternal love for the star of his show.
This attitude is shown very subtly in some of the scenes, and indeed it’s really in the small details that this movie gets across some of its biggest laughs, and has its most poignant moments. One example of this is the affectionate way that Christof tenderly touches the image of Truman’s face on the giant screen after he has orchestrated something intended to stop him from wanting to leave the manufactured island that is his home, and simultaneously send the ratings for his show through the roof. This comes immediately after most viewers will have decided that he is totally callous to the fate of Truman. (Later he shows that callousness again… it is clear that he values his own reputation even more than what he seems to consider almost as his surrogate son.) Another poignant irony is the way Christof is introduced in a rare interview – as someone who “jealously guards his privacy”, when he produces a programme dedicated to someone who has no privacy whatsoever.
Then there are the people watching who seem to have nothing at all in their lives except the show (and one of whom seems to spend his whole life in the bath!), and considering the amount of rubbish I’ve had to hear at various workplaces about Big Brother, I’m A Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here!, and other such puerile nonsense, that really rings a bell!
The supporting cast do their jobs nicely with Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, and Natascha McElhone all putting in good performances.
Overall this is a great film with some brilliant performances, assured direction and top notch writing. Very highly recommended.
Other Details
Director: Peter Weir (Witness, The Mosquito Coast, , Dead Poet’s Society, Green Card, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Screenplay: Andrew Niccol
Year of release: 1998
Runtime:
Rating: PG (UK and US) for thematic elements and mild language.
It struck me that in one way the film struck me a little like A Beautiful Mind, in that the first time you see is a rather different experience to subsequent times, being as you didn’t know quite where the dividing line between reality and counterfeit reality lie. The division in this movie is a lot easier to spot than the first time watching A Beautiful Mind, however. Ed Harris also appears in that movie and is, once again, excellent.
Awards
Among many awards won and nominated for, The Truman Show received 3 Oscar nominations – For Ed Harris as Best Supporting Actor, Peter Weir for Best Director, and Andrew Niccol for Best Writing . Screenplay/ The winners for those awards that year were James Coburn (Affliction), Stephen Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan), and Marc Norman / Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love).
Quotes
Christof: We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented.
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Sylvia: Look at what you've done to him!
Christof: I have given Truman the chance to lead a normal life. The world, the place you live in, is the sick place.
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Truman Burbank: Blocked at every turn. Beautifully synchronized, don't you agree?
Meryl: You're blaming me for the traffic?
Truman Burbank: Should I?
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Truman Burbank: Somebody help me, I'm being spontaneous!
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Christof: If his was more than just a vague ambition, if he was absolutely determined to discover the truth, there's no way we could prevent him.
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Christof: I know you better than you know yourself.
Truman: You never had a camera in my head!
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