Rattaya Nimibutr
Staff Writer
Review
Funnyman Jim Carrey is at it once again. After grabbing for a few more adult funny bones in Liar Liar, Carrey relaxes the manic muscles that propelled The Mask and the ever-popular Ace Ventura series. His latest incarnation as Truman Burbank comes courtesy the hilarious-with-a-heartfelt-ending flick, The Truman Show, which deftly examines and intertwines the state of television sensationalism in America, all the while finally establishing the former Fire Marshall Bill as a bonafide actor-man.
With its presidential title, images of Carrey sending up the former commander-in-chief are inevitable, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Another sobering bomb like The Cable Guy is another possibility, but this is classic stuff, and it's unlike anything you'd expect. The Truman Show clicks because of the surprise of Carrey and its thoughtful premise.
Truman Burbank lives the daily life of a respectable businessman. He wakes up cheerily in the morning, goes to work in a small city, reads the morning papers and drinks his coffee. He greets everyone in his path, from his clients to the dog next door. Sounds average and boring, right?
The thing is, Truman Burbank is the most famous face on television, only he doesn't know it. His daily life is broadcast all over the world, from the minute he wakes up to the second he falls asleep. The world has been watching him ever since he was born.
Getting the drift here? Every moment of Truman's life is filmed by concealed cameras, and all the people around him are just plain actors. His wife (Laura Linney in a serviceable performance) is just a little too perfect, and everything around him seems so routinely done that it soon becomes evident to the audience (or at least it should) that something is wrong here.
Truman's city is built on a movie set inside a dome. The only catch is Truman is the only one who doesn't know, for a while. That's when the fun begins.
With a sharply written script by Andrew Niccol, The Truman Show catches the audience the way Truman's own life mesmerizes the entire world on TV. Carrey is quite perfect for this role, and his vivacious control is very admirable and satisfactory. It's a far cry from talking through his rear, but Carrey pulls it off in a truly stellar performance.
Ed Harris portrays Christof, the man behind The Truman Show itself. He is the man who created the revolving world of the scrutinized Truman, controlling when the sun comes up or when the rain begins to fall. He is also the man who paints the tragedy of Truman's father, whom the young boy loses at sea. The tragedy is, of course, another ratings gimmick. Harris pulls it all off in a nicely modulated performance.
Truman is cautioned about his state of affairs by a woman he cannot seem to get out of his head. Despite only meeting her once, he is drawn to her, even more than his Colgate-smile wife. She's the only real contact this man has ever had, and he ponders it amid confusion and speculation.
It is here that Truman's real breakthrough emerges, and director Peter Weir (Dead Poets Society, Fearless) adds yet another spin to Carrey's endlessly plastic persona, never forgetting about that sure-fire boost of fun.
The Truman Show isn't exactly Carrey's best bet, but the movie itself is quite entertaining for a midday boost of amusement. Its intriguing premise doesn't wear thin, and the sarcastic gleam in Carrey's eye is just evident enough to let us know that he's still there, waiting.
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Rated
PG
Running Time
114 min
Playing
Local theaters