Review of The Truman Show (1998) by Elliott F — 14 Jul 2012

The Truman Show was so ahead of its time for 1998 that no matter when you watch it nowadays, it feels just as fresh as ever, and you get the sense that it will only get timelier. Jim Carrey gives one of his best performances as Truman Burbank, a man whose entire life has been a nonstop, worldwide television show.

Every little thing in his life--from his best friend and wife to the people who pass him on the street--is planned for him. And he doesn't know it. Its media-damning message is delivered through a thoroughly original script from Andrew Niccol, and under Peter Weir's gifted direction, all of the performances come alive.

As I said earlier, Carrey's performance is one of his best--he only outdoes himself in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which is an all-time great performance, as far as I'm concerned--and this film just establishes how great of an actor he can be.

Ed Harris snagged a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for this as Christof, the creator of The Truman Show and the man who keeps it all running, and he is terrific. Noah Emmerich plays the role of Truman's best friend, and he does very well, considering how small his role is compared to others in the film.

As Meryl, Truman's wife, Laura Linney is almost too good. Linney is an effortless actress, and in this, she is so utterly believable as an actor who has to go off-script and doesn't know quite what to do.

She's astonishingly good. The whole film is just brilliant, though. Hilariously funny, emotionally raw, deeply moving, and intellectually thrilling, this is easily Peter Weir's magnum opus. Even more, The Truman Show holds up as one of the best films of the 90s and as a stunning masterpiece in its own right.