O Show de Truman: O Show da Vida

One of the most creative films ever conceived, let alone made and executed- The Truman Show is on all fronts an absolutely perfect film- and will stand the test of time as an absolute classic. On every singular level this film works astoundly- jim Carrey provides a pitch perfect performance as our titular star Truman Burbank- in an incredible casting decision that I am sure turned a lot of heads at the time. Yes we see some of that classic Carrey throughout the film- but the man can act, and never before had it been brought to such attention as it had with this film- and he captures his role perfectly. The other actors do an excellent job as well, namely Ed Harris and Natascha McElhone- as well as Laura Linney and Noah Emmerich. The direction is fantastic, and much needed for the creative vision of the film at hand. The script is not only well done, but incredibly thought provoking, original, and brilliantly put into flm format. The music is fantastic, letting us feel so much emotion from such simple and classic pieces of work. The pacing is excellent, and the film leaves you with a smile and you wanting more- as I think any good film should. In the end, I have absolutely no complaints about The Truman Show. I've seen it more times than I can count, and it's easily one of my favorite films out there. Its a creative masterpiece that is unlike anything we would ever see today, or anything before it. It may be 20 years old, but The Truman Show may just be one of the most brilliant and influential films ever made.

My Rating: 10/10.

The film is an amazing combination of existentialism, surrealism, and symbolism. Truman turns into a Christ figure by the end and represents the desire of all people to find the truth of who they are and why they exist. > What is really amazing is that all of this is poured together into one film that is entertaining as well as thought provoking. How often do we get that from Hollywood? Other than CONTACT, I can't think of many other films recently.

It's not often a Hollywood film arrives with such lofty ambitions as this. On one hand this is a high concept comedy in the vein of "Groundhog Day" about an unwitting man whose entire life has been a TV show. This is also a Jim Carrey vehicle designed to display his charms. On the other hand this a very satirical look at the way the media manipulates our reality. The film also wants to take a philosophical look at free will vs. a higher power and reality vs. fantasy. It doesn't always work as the satire often keeps you from thinking too deeply about the underlying themes and the philosophical stuff keeps the satire from biting as well as it could. Credit engaging performances and solid and thoughtful direction from Weir for keeping things afloat and entertaining. There are some great cinematic moments here. I loved the "stolen kiss on the beach at night" and "Cue the sun!"

In the end this film is closer in spirit to psychological dramas and sci-fi movies where a person suddenly realizes they are the pawn in some grand experiment or a prisoner in an alien world than it is to anything in our current "reality TV" obsessed culture. Eventually it touches on a very basic conflict all humans must face (most people do so in childhood, some I fear never do). The universe does not revolve around us. In the closing moments we are excited for Truman because he finally realizes there is a whole new world out there to explore, but also slightly saddened because we know all to well that he will never be able to return to that idyllic "childhood" existence. How's it going to end? Who knows...but things will never be the same.

"The Truman Show" owes a lot to the direction of Peter Weir. Weir refuses to pump out the movies in a search for extra dollars. Instead he chooses wisely and directs brilliantly. Just by looking at a list of his movies will surprise and even amaze you. So as you would imagine "The Truman Show" is another success.

Truman Burbank has the perfect life, or so he thought until finally his life long suspicions about his world begin to unravel. Even though the idea for Truman is not totally original, it is thought provoking enough and allows the audience to wonder, what if? If you think this couldn't happen, just look back over the years at the stupidity of the human race and think again.

Jim Carrey once again nails his role, as do the entire cast. It is rare he fails to perform at a level that perfectly complements the movie and its genre. This is something he does not receive enough credit for. Acting for a comical role or a more dramatic role requires no less effort for the performance to be spot on.

Although it sometimes seems that Hollywood is catering to the lowest common denominator of everything, The Truman Show is proof that there are great ideas that are able to be turned into great movies. Jim Carrey plays an excellent role as a man with whom you can emphasize as well as be entertained by. The film's surrealistic nature is frightening when the viewer realizes the legal feasibility in today's society, and it offers a great message about who or what we assume God to be and how He (he?) would react to our personal drives for discovery to challenge a world we treat as an aquarium. Some things to note and ponder: The way the real-life viewers ignore the real lives of their compatriots and customers while focusing on a false life on screen; whose life is more real and whose is worth living? Also, note that Christof does not have his name listed among the "real world" in the credits, but in "Christof's World." His high-profile media-driven life is no different from Truman's!