The Truman Show: A Satirical Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (12 September 2019)

Just as a warning before I begin: this review does include spoilers! I personally believe that there are a lot of satirical messages in The Truman Show, but I think the most prominent is that the media is used to display people's lives in whatever way they please. The Truman Show targets the media, and displays the problem of media manipulation. This idea is exaggerated by Truman being the media's subject matter without consent for every moment of his life. We see this in real life with celebrities in paparazzi photos and reality TV shows, although, contrary to Truman, celebrities are aware that the world has their eyes on them. Throughout the movie, we see the producers of the show plant subject matter into Truman's life, such as his father coming back to life, or all the advertising for hot chocolate. This can show how the media manipulates people. In the movie, the inhumaneness of Truman's situation is deflated. The movie is ironic because Truman's audience knows that he's on television, but Truman does not. I really enjoyed this movie, especially after having realized the satirical messages hidden within it.