Unsung masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (4 December 2006)

At the 71st Annual Academy Awards in 1999, Jim Carey jokingly expressed his woe and despair for not receiving and acting nomination for his performance in "The Truman Show". Humorous and good-natured as it was, I would not have been surprised if he actually felt that way, and furthermore, he would be right to. His portrayal of a man trapped within his own perception of reality was more than deserving of a nomination, and leads us once again to the age-old debate of the academy and its low success rate of selecting the most appropriate nominees and winners.
Take a closer look and you'll realize that the same lack of attention from the academy applies to the whole film, let alone Carey. "The Truman Show" is one of the most stunningly original and creative films of the nineties; A clever satire, loaded with sharp wit and genuine drama from a carefully selected cast. If it has any flaw, it may be that it was too much of a clever satire, flying over the heads of an audience which was strongly infatuated with "reality" television.
Still, for the picture's innovation and genius to be overlooked by the academy, which seems to be lost in its own perception of reality, is inexcusable and unfair, especially for Jim Carey, who may never get another opportunity like this again.
Intriguing and compelling, "The Truman Show" deserved more respect than it got, and still does today.