The Truman Show, 1998. Directed by Peter Weir
The Film that Showed us that Jim Carrey Can Act!
Apr 10, 2009
"We've become bored of actors giving us phony performances, tired of Pyrotechnics and special effects" proclaims Ed Harris' Christof in the opening lines of the film and thus commences The Truman Show, a manipulative, Big Brother generation television show focussing on obsession with one individual who is deified and worshipped by viewers across the world and imprisoned in a constricted, make believe town. The Truman Show ironically is a phony world. Many people up to this point believed Jim Carrey to be nothing more than a half talented comedy actor famous for his gurning faces and outlandish roles. This film set out to prove people wrong.
Hidden Meanings And Embedded Messages Pervade The Film
The first thing to notice is the names of the two central characters of the film and how they can be deconstructed. The producer of the Truman Show played by Ed Harris is merely called Christof. If you only look at the first half of this name you can see it spells 'Christ'. Christof is a God-like figure, looking down on Truman and controlling his world, right down to the physical elements (product advertising) and the natural elements (which again are ironically 'un'natural - the most notable scene being the storm at sea where an angered Christof tries to capsize Truman so that he cannot escape the world that has been artificially created for him and learn the truth). Truman was born on television before millions of viewers so there is every possiblity that he can die, as Christof bluntly informs one of the show's producers.
Deconstructing Truman
Truman is the other vital name. The obvious reason for the filmmakers to give the protagonist this name is because he is the only 'true human' in his world. The rest of the inhabitants are extras, from his wife, played brilliantly by Laura Linney, to his best friend Marlon (Noah Emmerich) and most importantly his Mother (Holland Taylor) and Father (Brian Delate). The only 'character' in his life who has any true feelings for his safety and well being is Sylvia, played lightly and with heart by Natascha McElhone, who is also the only individual waiting for him as he takes his first steps into the 'real' world at the end of the film.
Jim Carrey Vs. Truman Burbank
One way to look at this film is as a product of the success of actor Jim Carrey. Taking the leading role in this documentary style film where he is the star of the show enabled director Weir and the filmmakers to present Carrey as a versatile actor capable of more than the comedic excesses of The Mask or Dumb and Dumber, two of his biggest film successes, and mould him into an actor to be taken seriously. It is down to this fact that we feel for Truman as a real person subjected to this make believe world and we will him to discover the truth: that the world he inhabits is a fabrication, blinding him from reality. Like the show's viewers, embedded perfectly into the film at regular intervals, we are watching Truman live out his life, entering his world at day 10,909, and immersing ourselves in his story, his life. At the same time we are partaking in a social experiment by watching this film. Released in 1998 before the big surge of reality television invaded the airwaves, this is a pre-cursor to the Big Brother generation that we now live in where people are under constant surveillance and everyone is under the spotlight.
A Vital Film For Our Time
"How can anyone expect me to carry on under these conditions? It's not professional" wails Laura Linney's Meryl in the arms of Marlon as he protects her from Truman's growing suspicion. This is one of the most ironic facts of this film. Whilst the Truman Show itself looks professionally made on the outside, it really gets shown up for exactly what it is: a mere representation, a fallacy; a world where Truman is the only acceptable human figure and the rest of the 'cast' are just cogs in a machine, extras proclaiming to "love and protect him" but actually manipulating and torturing him.
The Truman Show is arguably one of the most vital films of our time. It is thought-provoking, it is original and it is also a frightening vision of a world of the perhaps not unlikely future. Jim Carrey is a revelation.
