Jim Carrey stars as Truman Burbank, a man whose life is a nonstop TV show. Truman doesn’t realize that his quaint hometown is a giant studio set run by a visionary creator (Ed Harris), that folks living and working there are Hollywood actors, and that even his incessantly bubbly wife (Laura Linney) is a contract player. Gradually, Truman gets wise, and his response leaves viewers laughing, crying, and cheering like few films ever have.
Remastered in 4K for its 25th anniversary, “The Truman Show” has aged beautifully. That is because it was directed by Peter Weir, a filmmaker who has formed a diverse body of work with highlights being “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” “The Last Wave,” and “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.” Unsurprisingly, his direction throughout “Truman” is spectacular. Through sheer technique and artistic vision, Weir captures the paranoid surveillance state and big moments like a towering rogue wave cascading toward the screen.
“The Truman Show” was written by Andrew Niccol, who wrote and directed two of my favorite films. The first was the thought-provoking sci-fi film, “Gattaca,” and later on, the cynical political thriller, “Lord of War,” starring Nicolas Cage. Niccol’s screenplay here is intelligent and touching, featuring a splendid ending—a rare thing in most films.
Backed by a solid supporting cast – Noah Emmerich, Laura Linney, Ed Harris, and Natasha McElhone – Jim Carrey does some of his best work here. He remains understated chiefly with a subdued charm. Like Adam Sandler, comedic actors are at their best when they play against type and surpass their typecast personas. I hope they both continue to appear in unique outings like Carrey did with “The Bad Batch” and Sandler’s recent dramatic turns in “Uncut Gems” and “Hustle.”
Watching the attempts by his reality show to keep Truman controlled through fear and contradictions is brilliant. As well are the limitations placed before him through different obstacles. These literal boundaries, in his way, are frustrating and darkly humorous. Add those existential examinations of freedom and privacy, with the onslaught of advertising maintained through product placement, are all a testament to the hollowness of consumerism.
Clothing and various aesthetics mirror fascist propaganda with its sanitized veneer, and people behave straight out of an American Post-WWII sitcom. Only a homeless outsider surviving on the fringes can open the protagonist’s eyes. When the system – the show’s production – begins to fall apart, Truman can not look away. The brief reflection of class was interesting here – as it was similarly used in “They Live” and recently in “Vincent Must Die.”
The film’s screenplay is also a glaring statement on autonomy. Truman was born into this world, only to be adopted by a corporation. But his ability to resist the corporation is a transcendent maneuver for Truman. Since he is a unique commodity, he cannot be replaced like his costarring actors, who can easily be written off. These actors in Truman’s world are also miserable and overworked. His wife is mainly put through the wringer during his odyssey to liberation.
As I was thinking about these relevant themes, I was also struck by the lack of current comedy stars. Although not regarded with prestige by most people, we used to have silly or entertaining films regularly featuring Martin Lawrence, Adam Sandler, Jamie Foxx (I hope he’s ok), and Jim Carrey. Now we are hopelessly stuck with the unfunny and uncharismatic Pete Davidson. While the issue of comedy is a much larger issue that I will not go into right now, I think we can say anything like “The Truman Show” or even the bonkers “Billy Madison” will probably never happen again. And that is nothing to laugh about.
Now available on a 25th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD™ Two-Disc Set
