“I am the Creator…”
-Ed Harris, as himself
-Ed Harris, as himself
“The movie isn't only a satire of television and other forms of media. It aims many of its most pointed barbs at us, the audience. […] We're the villains and victims and hero of The Truman Show. And, ultimately, the only illusions we have to escape are the ones we create ourselves.”
-TransparencyNow.com, and its discussion of the power of fiction
“The Truman Show is nothing if not original. It's also funny, moving, imaginative and wickedly smart about the addictive power of comfy illusion.”
-Margaret McGurk, The Cincinnati Enquirer
“What's the point of the satire? It doesn't connect with anything. In the real world, the kind of television spectacle the public gets wrapped up in -- soap operas, Jerry Springer, ER, or a serial documentary like An American Family -- are all full of incident, emotion, and rage (however ersatz). Even Seinfeld has crises, albeit of the spluttering, tempest-in-a-teapot variety.”
-Peter Rainer, New York Magazine (June 1998 issue)
“…of a television show that gives hope and joy and inspiration to millions of viewers.”
-Ed Harris, as himself, finishing the above quote
The 1998 film “The Truman Show” is notable for two things. First, it shows the implications of a man being forced into a life of super-stardom, the effects that a “producer” such as the character quoted above can have when he takes control of the “narrative” of someone’s life, and the impact of the realization that you, in fact, are the star of this TV show called life.
Second, it gives us Jim Carrey in a dramatic role.
(Don’t worry, I’ll give you a few to get over that last one.
You all better now? Okay, good. Moving on…)
Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank, the title character of both the movie and the show within the movie, a round-the-clock reality show filmed in a giant, virtual bio-sphere of a studio where his life is entirely controlled by a producer and his special effects team. Every moment is scripted, caught on camera, and broadcast for the entire world to see.
The twist? He doesn’t know he’s in a show. His life is scripted, everyone around him is a co-actor or actress, but all of his actions are as genuine as your sitcom character or your Hollywood hero.
Opposite Jim Carrey is “the Creator” himself, Christof (Ed Harris), who is the producer of Truman’s show and, by extension, his very life. Contrary to our common perception of a producer or creator, though, he takes a very hands-on approach to the whole affair, to the point that he is trying to keep Truman oblivious to any sort of world outside of the show.
Ultimately, “The Truman Show” is the story of a man slowly discovering the seams by which his world is held together. He questions his family, he questions authority, he questions the heavens themselves, as slowly the truth of his existence dawns on him. All the while, his audience of millions throughout the world are hanging on his every word and thought, as they make this journey along with him.
Ten years ago, such a premise would have been unheard of. Today, we have all sorts of reality shows which push the potential for a real-life Truman Burbank closer and closer to a TV near you. We have our Kardashians, we have our Rocs (and Flava’s, and Daisies) of Love, we have our Danny Bonaduces, our Survivors and our Amazing Races…hell, we even have the likes of Ashton Kutcher acting the troll and trying to prank celebrities for our amusement. Of course, these stars have as much of a say in their own fiction as anyone else, which is where this comparison falls apart.
While this film doesn’t necessarily hold up as a commentary on reality TV, it does illustrate the power of illusion in general, and fiction in particular. The allure of escapism isn’t limited to just TV; we have movies, we have books, we have cartoons, theatre, music, sports, and all sorts of media (if I’ve missed anything besides fishing, stamp-collecting, and Iron Chef, I sincerely apologize) which take us away from our humdrum lives. Whether it’s print, electronic, live and in person, or just a simple daydream, there’s no denying our need—or maybe just a simple dogged desire—to escape to a world or a life that is somehow “better,” or at least more entertaining, than the typical eat, sleep, nine-to-five monotony we all become so used to.
This is the challenge our title character must face. Or so we’re told, anyway. His fiction, his illusion, is an extreme example, one where he lives and breathes the world of his own TV show. To face this is to admit that his whole life up until now has been a giant lie. One might say that his own quest as the protagonist is the inverse and opposite of fighting illusion. Rather than allowing himself to give in to the monotony of his day-to-day life, he instead wonders, “What if?” Through this, he attempts what I think of as “reverse escapism.” Even if one views the film as strictly satire, this is still insanity on the character’s part.
The bio-dome and elaborate TV show orchestrated by Christof is a gauntlet of physical and psychological checks designed to keep Truman from so much as even suspecting the truth behind his scripted life. As far as our star knows, the show is the real world. A snippet of conversation here and an old photo there help him figure out that not all is right with the “real world,” but you never really see that moment where he should be able to make that mental leap from garden-variety paranoia to “Hey, this is all a TV show!!” So, speaking strictly in terms of its plot and character development, that much is at least to be desired. However, I do give the filmmakers credit in trying to imply his moment of realization, rather than just giving us any one moment where it just hits him (though his confrontation with his “wife” might be a good point in the film to hone in on).
So overall, is “The Truman Show” a good film? Yes. Is it a great film? Yes. But remember that “great” and “perfect” aren’t one and the same. It asks questions that do need asked in this day and age: Is entertainment truly healthy for us? How much is too much? Do we escape from reality at our own peril? With Truman, though, these questions are flipped on their head. The message is good, and the overall story holds up. However, it’s not clear if our hero is just a paranoid nutcase, or if he’s a paranoid nutcase who’s actually on to something. (Though to be fair, this is Jim Carrey we’re talking about.)
Note: The Brewsky is an enthusiastic contributor and movie reviewer, and also something of a self-styled entertainer. He…has no scripts, no cue cards. It isn’t always Shakespeare, but it’s genuine. It’s…a life. It’s…something of a life, for something of a self-styled entertainer.
The twist? He doesn’t know he’s in a show. His life is scripted, everyone around him is a co-actor or actress, but all of his actions are as genuine as your sitcom character or your Hollywood hero.
Opposite Jim Carrey is “the Creator” himself, Christof (Ed Harris), who is the producer of Truman’s show and, by extension, his very life. Contrary to our common perception of a producer or creator, though, he takes a very hands-on approach to the whole affair, to the point that he is trying to keep Truman oblivious to any sort of world outside of the show.
Ultimately, “The Truman Show” is the story of a man slowly discovering the seams by which his world is held together. He questions his family, he questions authority, he questions the heavens themselves, as slowly the truth of his existence dawns on him. All the while, his audience of millions throughout the world are hanging on his every word and thought, as they make this journey along with him.
Ten years ago, such a premise would have been unheard of. Today, we have all sorts of reality shows which push the potential for a real-life Truman Burbank closer and closer to a TV near you. We have our Kardashians, we have our Rocs (and Flava’s, and Daisies) of Love, we have our Danny Bonaduces, our Survivors and our Amazing Races…hell, we even have the likes of Ashton Kutcher acting the troll and trying to prank celebrities for our amusement. Of course, these stars have as much of a say in their own fiction as anyone else, which is where this comparison falls apart.
While this film doesn’t necessarily hold up as a commentary on reality TV, it does illustrate the power of illusion in general, and fiction in particular. The allure of escapism isn’t limited to just TV; we have movies, we have books, we have cartoons, theatre, music, sports, and all sorts of media (if I’ve missed anything besides fishing, stamp-collecting, and Iron Chef, I sincerely apologize) which take us away from our humdrum lives. Whether it’s print, electronic, live and in person, or just a simple daydream, there’s no denying our need—or maybe just a simple dogged desire—to escape to a world or a life that is somehow “better,” or at least more entertaining, than the typical eat, sleep, nine-to-five monotony we all become so used to.
This is the challenge our title character must face. Or so we’re told, anyway. His fiction, his illusion, is an extreme example, one where he lives and breathes the world of his own TV show. To face this is to admit that his whole life up until now has been a giant lie. One might say that his own quest as the protagonist is the inverse and opposite of fighting illusion. Rather than allowing himself to give in to the monotony of his day-to-day life, he instead wonders, “What if?” Through this, he attempts what I think of as “reverse escapism.” Even if one views the film as strictly satire, this is still insanity on the character’s part.
The bio-dome and elaborate TV show orchestrated by Christof is a gauntlet of physical and psychological checks designed to keep Truman from so much as even suspecting the truth behind his scripted life. As far as our star knows, the show is the real world. A snippet of conversation here and an old photo there help him figure out that not all is right with the “real world,” but you never really see that moment where he should be able to make that mental leap from garden-variety paranoia to “Hey, this is all a TV show!!” So, speaking strictly in terms of its plot and character development, that much is at least to be desired. However, I do give the filmmakers credit in trying to imply his moment of realization, rather than just giving us any one moment where it just hits him (though his confrontation with his “wife” might be a good point in the film to hone in on).
So overall, is “The Truman Show” a good film? Yes. Is it a great film? Yes. But remember that “great” and “perfect” aren’t one and the same. It asks questions that do need asked in this day and age: Is entertainment truly healthy for us? How much is too much? Do we escape from reality at our own peril? With Truman, though, these questions are flipped on their head. The message is good, and the overall story holds up. However, it’s not clear if our hero is just a paranoid nutcase, or if he’s a paranoid nutcase who’s actually on to something. (Though to be fair, this is Jim Carrey we’re talking about.)
Note: The Brewsky is an enthusiastic contributor and movie reviewer, and also something of a self-styled entertainer. He…has no scripts, no cue cards. It isn’t always Shakespeare, but it’s genuine. It’s…a life. It’s…something of a life, for something of a self-styled entertainer.
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