Satirical Aspects in the Truman Show

Rating: 7/10 (12 September 2016)

I believe that the Truman show was an effective satirical piece. A clear view as to what the satire is criticizing, a lasting impression on the watcher, and just enough light- heartedness that pulls the movie together. The clear purpose of the satire is to expose the seemingly wonderful and well meaning but unintentionally benevolent nature of the media. The movie shows how awful the fixation that the media carries with certain people can destroy their lives in the end.
What's interesting, in a rather sad manner, is how relevant and accurate the movie is today, now more than ever. The movie shows the deflation of personal privacy, which now mimics how some reality TV shows are set up. The movie also shows the inflation of shared interest in television, which has been on the rise for a long time. The movie, while seemingly outdated, is still a scarily accurate representation of modern society.
The reaction of Truman to realizing something is afoot is almost odd in this day and age. He grew up without access to reality television, so he's unused to how some people would crave the fame that came with his role. It is almost odd to think how different his reaction may have been, had he been given access to the world of television.
Personally, I enjoyed the movie. The acting left something to be desired for me, but the writing and setting were very satisfactory. The plot was complex, but not to the point that it was not understandable. The humor is typical of satire, but not too crude or brash, which is nice. I think this was a very well made movie, especially for the time period.