Laura Linney at her best!

Rating: 7/10 (2 November 1998)

A few months ago,before the release of the Truman Show,I read reviews that acclaimed the film as the most interesting and brilliant film ever done by Hollywood.I thought that those reviews were really impressive,after all,to receive the label of one of the greatests films ever done,certainly the story should have been very well related in the screen and the cast should have helped a lot.The names in the cast didn't impress me:I've never liked Jim Carrey,Ed Harris was a good but not brilliant actor,and they also had a young actress who worked in Congo and who I have already seen before in smaller roles,like in Dave.Her name was Laura Linney.But I admired a lot Peter Weir,and when I knew he was the director,I concluded that,well,the film could be what the critics were saying and writing.He had already done one striking movie,Fearless.I watched the Truman Show three times,but not for thinking that the film was a masterful piece of storytelling.I agree that we're not talking about a horrible movie,but also the film isn't excellent.We have here a good movie,with good moments,but,when analyzed conjointly,doesn't compensate.It is just another big and expensive box-office attraction that tries to be original and innovate,but tied up into the big studio's system of making movie in a commercial sense,it ends up being the kind of movie Peter Weir wanted to avoid.He wasted the possibility of constructing an unforgettable drama,and made a weak comedy.I watched it three times because I saw a magisterial interpretation that came from I less expected:Laura Linney.As Jim Carrey's wife,she created a memorable character,always with a giant smile engraved on her face.She should be nominated as best supporting actress and she should take the Oscar home.She builds her character as a woman who,despite her beauty,her caress devoted to her husband and her impressive smile,hides the truth from him,sustains him under her control,involves him with her personality,fights to make him give away his suspecions,but,gradually,begins to fell compassion for him.Laura Linney managed a smiling woman into the most astonishing character I've seen.