It's all about you

Rating: 6/10 (4 March 2010)

Peter Weir's film, "The Truman Show", definitely lacks no innovation, bringing us as it does the unique story of a man who is the central character in an amazingly long-running television show that is all about him. Only catch is, he doesn't know it.
We have probably all felt that our lives were on show at one time or another, or even imagined that we were the centre of some great movie. I must admit to imagining myself in a situation just like Truman's. I never expected it to become the subject matter of a movie though. It is probably no wonder that Aussie director Weir jumped at it.
Weir does a pretty good job creating the world in which Truman Burbank lives (maybe a reference to Burbank studios in that name), giving us a pseudo-reality of which we are completely aware, but of which Truman has no concept. Weir's problems start when he has to decide where to take this ground-breaking film. Like Peter Howitt's "Sliding Doors", it is very difficult to know how to close a movie whose very concept is capable of totally wowing its audience. Many may be disappointed with this film's finale, and some may even feel cheated out of a true ending. Others will cheer; it's all down to personal taste.
Jim Carrey, upon whom the entire show rides, impresses often as the bright, cheery insurance salesman who starts to believe there may be something very wrong with his world. He certainly has the right amount of charisma, though whether his dramatic prowess was strong enough is debatable. Perhaps a classic actor would have done something completely different with this role. Support cast are merely incidental, but include Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Ed Harris, Hollard Taylor and Natascha McElhone.
Highly effective music comes from original composer Burkhard Dallwitz with additional pieces from Philip Glass. The set, an entirely fabricated island village, is from production designer Dennis Gassner.
Friday, October 23, 1998 - Greater Union Melbourne