Today’s quick review: The Truman Show. Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) is an ordinary man leading a charmed life. He has a wonderful wife, a pleasant neighborhood, and a sunny disposition. But as the incongruities of his life pile up, Truman begins to question the world he is presented with. A studio light falls from a clear sky. Traffic disappears the second he leaves the road. His wife promotes a particular brand of coffee during breakfast. As Truman finds more and more wrong with his world, he comes closer to discovering the astonishing truth: his life is a 24/7 reality show overseen by a visionary producer (Ed Harris).
The Truman Show is a dramatically powerful comedy about life, reality, and television. Jim Carrey tunes down his normal, over-the-top acting style to make Truman a sympathetic, human protagonist. Truman has a sweet, innocent personality that fits his artificial life quite well, making his gradual awakening both funny and painful. The drama of the film skirts a fine line between the low-stakes, absurd drama of a man trying to escape the world’s cushiest prison and the existential, personal drama of a man discovering that his world and everything important to him is a lie. From the outside, The Truman Show is an amusing comedy about the grandest reality show ever conceived. From the inside, The Truman Show is a bittersweet tale about finding reality.
The Truman Show is a unique film that mixes comedy and drama to produce a surprisingly powerful story. While not as philosophically deep as the premise might imply, The Truman Show is an emotionally rich and satisfying film. Watch it when you are in the mood for something odd, charming, and a little sad. Skip it if you are looking for unadulterated comedy or realistic drama.
8.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for a strong blend of comedy and drama.