Born Into A Reality Show

Rating: Null/10 (16 December 2009)

Peter Weir has made a name for himself that has earned him the reputation of an accomplished director. I am not a fan of every single one of his films but 'The Truman Show' is one of my favourite films. I remember how impressed I was with the original concept of a man whose entire life is filmed for the world to see (unbeknownst to him). With reality shows being the 'it' thing on current television (as much as I loathe most of them), this film is one of the first of its kind to raise the question regarding the value of privacy and its contribution to ones freedom. Weir very convincingly tells the story of Truman Burbank and his struggle for a new life. I like the way he sets the mise-en-scene. His story juxtaposes very well with the audience's (in the movie) reactions and the studio's operation. This is the first film through which Jim Carrey has gained credit for playing a non-comedic role. Carrey is fantastic in the title role and he is wonderfully supported by the manipulative Ed Harris and the phony Laura Linney. Note the funny appearances by Holland Taylor, Peter Krause and Paul Giamatti. The melodramatic background score is also efficiently used. I can easily recommend this film to anyone and it has great repeat value.