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Rating:  - A triumph!
In the near future, Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) has lived a great life with a wife (Laura Linney), great job, friends and parents. But what he doesn't know is that his hometown is actually fake and that he is the star of a popular long running reality program that has monitored him since his birth in the world's largest TV studio ran by Christof (Ed Harris). His life has been witnessed by millions from across the globe, he wants to discover the true nature of his world for his seeks the truth.
A brilliant and highly original Sci-fi comedy drama from director Peter Weir and writer/producer Andrew Niccol. Co-starring Noah Emmerich, Holland Taylor, Peter Kruase, Tony Todd, Harry Sherer and Paul Giamatti this is truly one of the best movies of 1998. I love the premise of what if your life was really a TV show which is a novel idea, the acting is terrific and so is the directing. This is a touching, funny and unique movie that has to be seen to believed, a must see!
This DVD contains terrific special features like a two part "Making of" documentary, a featurette on the visual effects, photo gallery, four deleted scenes, Teaser and Trailer with 2 TV Spots.
Rating: - A show so true man its terrifying
Jim Carrey's Truman Burbank has so many real life comparisons in this thought provoking film. Hidden cameras have been reported to be installed on every street in London. Big Brother, 1984, and it should make you stop to think how many few of your every day transactions have any privacy from perfect strangers.
Rating:  - Great idea for a film
When this came out, it was unique. I'd never seen anything like it. It was basically a film and filming a TV show. It sounded weird and almost Sci-fiish, but it was none of those things. It was actually a really good movie. Jim Carrey is perfect in this. It gives him the chance to really shine as an actor, combining the comedic and the dramatic to get an extrememly likable character. Its his best role, in my opinion. And, honestly, he is the reason to see this film because I don't think it would be as interesting with another actor. I really liked the soundtrack to this film as well, it was very moving at times. The rest of the cast also did a fantastic job. The utopian scenery blends in perfectly into this film and makes it all the more interesting. Its a great and differnt type of film that should be seen by all. It never strays too much in the goofiness arena, and is always endearing and believable.
Rating: - Life is an Illusion
This movie is a parable for our lives - we too are living illusions to avoid the reality of the human condition. Only by casting aside that illusion and confronting reality, as Truman does in the final scene, can we escape from our fears and embrace life - and that is why it was so splendid to see the fans of the show so happy at the end when Truman escaped - they really got what the show was about, and that Cristof's illusion now too was shattered.
Rating: - How will it end?
Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) is the star of the most elaborate reality television show possible. His entire life, from birth, has been televised live for over thirty years. He lives in a small island community that is actually a giant stage established for his benefit by the show's creator, Christof. Truman has never known he is the subject of a show, he is not an actor, just an insurance salesman living his life. Every person he knows, on the other hand, is an actor and acting out a script. His mother, best friend, wife, co-workers, all of them are there for the show and nothing else. The problem is that Truman is getting island fever and wants to leave. He also begins to suspect that something is wrong and that things in his life are fake somehow. His "loved ones" try to reassure him, but he's determined to keep pushing.
The Truman Show challenged a lot of viewers in 1998 because Jim Carrey's presence seemed to promise a comedy similar to his most recent hit at the time, Liar Liar (Collector's Edition). This is not a comedy, however, but a drama with a bit of humor to break the tension. If you can get over waiting for Carrey to really busy out the zaniness, then you'll appreciate both the movie and what may be the finest performance of his career. The humor is still there occasionally, but so is a vulnerability that he has rarely exhibited. The supporting cast also turned in strong performances, led by Ed Harris as the tyrannical Christof who regards Truman as his personal property. Noah Emmerich, as best friend Marlon, is also noteworthy as the warm-hearted best friend who isn't what he seems.
The Truman Show is not like any movie made before or since, and that alone makes it noteworthy. It was far ahead of its time in portraying the phenomenon now known as reality TV before even the first season of Survivor was a hit. It has a few funny moments, but mostly this is a story of a man who hungers for more in his life and feels trapped at every turn. It's Truman against the entire world he's trapped in and who among us has never felt a touch of that?
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