Rent The Truman Show on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Andrew Niccol
Directed by: Peter Weir
Starring: Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Peter Krause
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer
Plot
An insurance salesman begins to suspect that his whole life is actually some sort of reality TV show.
Verdict
This released before the proliferation of reality television. In this movie Truman lives in a digital prison, people watching him for entertainment with no regard to his well being. Every facet of Truman's life is controlled. While you could pick apart the logistics of this world, this is a story that focuses on the triumph of the human spirit. Truman overcomes all of the programming and instilled fears to claw beyond the boundaries of his tiny world. He just wants a chance to see the unknown, and once he decides that he can't be caged. It doesn't matter whether this world could actually function as depicted, it proves that nothing's impossible when someone puts their mind to it. Eventually a person will see the bars of their cage no matter how well they're disguised. We want to see Truman break free because it gives all of us feeling trapped in a moment, in a choice, in life, hope.
Watch It.
Review
Weir would go on to write and direct Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World while Niccol previously wrote and directed Gattaca.
The movie isn't about discovering his world is a construct, it's wondering when he'll figure it out. The first scene is a monologue from Christof (Ed Harris) that doesn't quite spell things out, but it is is good indicator of this world's nature.
 |
| Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank |
Truman (Jim Carrey) exists in an ongoing television show broadcast around the clock about him, only he doesn't know it. Camera's are hidden throughout the world as the director, Christof, controls the story and all the other actors. Truman is the only one unaware of what's happening. With a show that never stops, ads are product placement. This is a show that's been running non-stop for nearly thirty years.
Truman wants to go to Fiji and see the world, something unexplored. His past and the town is constructed so that he has no desire to leave. The extras are coaxed to dissuade him from such ideas. A series of events cause Truman to wonder. He realizes something doesn't seem right, and once he looks for cracks they're easy to find.
What resonates is that nearly everyone has felt trapped in their own bubble at some point. We've searched for a purpose, wondered what's out there, and tried to figure out what it means.
 |
| Ed Harris plays Christof |
He starts acting erratic, and we can't blame him, to force more inconsistencies. He knows something is wrong. When he acts recklessly, his 'wife' Meryl (Laura Linney) calls out for someone to "do something." That all but confirms his life is some kind of charade. To whom would she be calling?
A Christoff interview provides a break in Truman's life as we get the history of this 'show.' It started with just one camera and now there are more than five thousand. Christof commands an army of actors to make sure events happen as he desires. There have been moments where people have tried to free Truman, but we've also seen fans of the show that want to protect him. In the interview Christof states that Truman could leave if he truly desired. Christof has to be a bit of a spoof, his attire alone would indicate that. He's this controlling director that operates from the moon like some kind of deity. He's creating art, but it's specifically at Truman's expense.
 |
| Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank |
For thirty years this show has run without pause, and then Truman escapes. They can't find him. Humans are resourceful, and Truman is an example of the indelible human spirit that won't quit. He's been programmed to fear the ocean, but he braves that fear to escape this world. Christof, feeling threatened, challenges Truman causing the water to roil and lightning to strike. He's endangering Truman, but he sees Truman's defiance as a personal attack. It's likely the most dangerous situation Truman's faced, and yet it's also entertainment. It's a strange line. Truman only wants to see what's on the other side.
This could almost be a metaphor for a middle aged or even quarter life crisis. You've been funneled or chosen this path that at the time seems like the only choice. Often you reach middle age and you wonder about your choices and what else exists outside of your little known world. You become spontaneous or adventurous. A middle aged crisis isn't always bad, and it doesn't have to involve hurting those around you to feel younger by divorcing a spouse and buying a sports car. Sometimes, it's just the act of exploring what's beyond your self imposed limitations.
 |
| In-universe title card |
No comments :
Post a Comment