Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) is the most famous man in the world, and he doesn't

even know it. Raised entirely 'within' a television show which comprises his entire
world, Truman is an Everyman for the post-television age. Truman's world,
"Seahaven", is an Eisenhower-era model of American bliss, recalling the prison-like
Port Meirion and the moral certainty of Bedford Falls (Its a Wonderful Life).
Surreptitiously filmed around the clock by 5000 hidden cameras, the show exists
inside an enormous geodesic dome with simulated weather and even its own ocean.
Through a series of production blunders Truman slowly realises that he is being
controlled and that perhaps all in his world is not as it seems. His surrogate father
by proxy, 'Christof' the producer/director, goes from being benevolent social
scientist to evil genius as his attempts to frustrate Truman's wanderlust become
more and more deadly. Will he escape?
The film raises some interesting points about our fascination with life as seen
through the magnifying lens of tv, and the morality of real lives viewed as so much
entertainment. But like most soaps the scenes from "The Truman Show" that appear
within the movie are variously dull, mawkish and sentimental. At points the film has
a problem deciding on whether it is going to be a straight escape-chase movie or a
philosophical piece about morality and technology. The t.v. show's inherent blandess
also lends little to the pace or our sense that there are characters worth caring
about.
Carrey is good. This in itself is gratifying, and a tribute to a script that walks the
tightrope of imitating bad t.v. in tandem with the metaphysical angst of Truman's
unique situation. If it isn't quite the film it could have been, The Truman Show is still
pretty much unique in the recent crop from our cultural overlords in Hollywood. No
arthouse here, this is a watchable, big-budget think piece, with well-executed and
stylish direction. Its too early to say but this film may have given some execs at
NBC, ABC et al. one very bad idea...