Remarkably prescient in retrospect

Rating: 8/10 (6 September 2014)

These days, it may be hard to believe that Peter Weir's "The Truman Show" arrived at a time before 'reality TV' was a household phrase. In the movie, Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank, a man oblivious to the fact that his entire life is actually a TV show enjoyed by billions around the world. However, at 30 years old, Truman is beginning to suspect that all is not as it seems, which is a serious problem for the producers of the show.
The staggering rise in popularity of reality TV has made it easy to accept the premise of "The Truman Show". That viewers would take an interest in the life of a relative nobody is now an indisputable fact. Although Carrey's dramatic chops may not be quite as developed as they would later become he effortlessly supplies the type of personality that characterizes reality TV stars.
Apart from Carrey, the highlight of the cast is the always dependable Ed Harris as the mastermind behind "The Truman Show". While I find the character to be written almost too enigmatically, Harris nevertheless plays it with utmost gravity & precision. Laura Linney is also excellent as Truman's effervescent wife and there are some notable names in small roles as well, such as Harry Shearer, Paul Giamatti & Philip Baker Hall.
Visually, the movie has an interesting look, with plenty of odd angles and lenses to represent the surreptitious filming of Truman's daily activities. The sets & cinematography are usually bright and idyllic, which is all part of the show's controlled 'reality'. Weir's direction landed him his fourth Oscar nomination of six to date. The Golden Globe-winning score by Philip Glass & Burkhard von Dallwitz also deserves mention.
Overall, "The Truman Show" is an entertaining movie that blends comedy, drama and 'soft' science fiction. That being said, I think that subsequent events have robbed the movie of some of its novelty. It was arguably too prophetic for its own good when it comes to the mechanics of marketing 'reality' as entertainment. It's still interesting and worth watching but the story isn't as fanciful as it once was. Of course, others may have the exact opposite opinion - that the movie's remarkable vision makes it more effective today than ever before. Both opinions are equally valid, I think.