Original, entertaining story and surprisingly good acting.

Rating: 10/10 (26 July 1999)

Jim Carrey would not be on too many lists for very good actors, but he is a major talent. His comedy is alternately inventive and off-putting. Yet here he is in a role that is original and interesting.
He plays Truman Burbank, who lives in a nice, quiet town where everyone knows everyone. But little does he know he is the subject of a 24-hour TV show.
The screenplay is creative in inventing ways to keep Truman from knowing this fact, such as a fear of the ocean, and in the gradual awakening to a new reality that Truman must face.
Carrey makes Truman into a sympathetic character, who is thrust into a situation that is hard to accept. Everything he's ever known is staged. It is a touching, likable performance that is complete and true to character.
Ed Harris provides fine support as Cristof, the creator of "The Truman Show," opting for a low-key approach rather than a madman performance that makes him worthy of pity.
Andrew Niccol ("Gattaca")'s screenplay is one of the most creative in a long time, which presents intriguing questions about the nature of television, privacy and how far technology should be taken. Is it okay to place a person in a bubble all his life for all to see? Just because we can, must we? Those questions provide for a multi-layered plot that makes you think.
Strong direction from Peter Weir ("Witness," "Dead Poets Society").