The Truman Show (1998)

An insurance salesman discovers his whole life is actually a reality TV show.

Director:

Peter Weir

Writer:

Andrew Niccol

Stars:

Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, Laura Linney

Top Rated Movies #183 | Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 40 wins & 65 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Carrey	...	Truman Burbank
Laura Linney	...	Meryl Burbank / Hannah Gill
Noah Emmerich	...	Marlon
Natascha McElhone	...	Lauren / Sylvia
Holland Taylor	...	Truman's Mother
Brian Delate	...	Truman's Father
Blair Slater	...	Young Truman
Peter Krause	...	Lawrence
Heidi Schanz	...	Vivien
Ron Taylor	...	Ron
Don Taylor	...	Don
Ted Raymond	...	Spencer
Judy Clayton	...	Travel Agent
Fritz Dominique	...	Truman's Neighbor
Angel Schmiedt	...	Truman's Neighbor

Storyline

Since birth, a big fat lie defines the well-organised but humdrum life of the kind-hearted insurance salesman and ambitious explorer, Truman Burbank. Utterly unaware of the thousands of cleverly hidden cameras watching his every move, for nearly three decades, Truman's entire existence pivots around the will and the wild imagination of the ruthlessly manipulative television producer, Christof--the all-powerful TV-God of an extreme 24/7 reality show: The Truman Show. As a result, Truman's picturesque neighbourhood with the manicured lawns and the uncannily perfect residents is nothing but an elaborate state-of-the-art set, and the only truth he knows is what the worldwide television network and its deep financial interests dictate. Do lab rats know they are forever imprisoned?

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Plot Keywords:

hidden camera | simulated reality | fictional reality show | controlled environment | creator creation relationship | 

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Taglines:

We like to watch!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Truman Show

Filming Locations:

31 Natchez Street Seaside, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,542,121, 7 June 1998

Gross USA:

$125,618,201

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$264,118,201

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Truman and his best friend Marlon both own new Fords. (Truman has a Taurus sedan, and Marlon has a Ranger pickup truck.) This is probably intentional since it is said during the film that the show makes lots of money by using product placement.

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Goofs

In most of the interior shots of Truman's car, the Ford Taurus has manual air conditioning. However, as he parks up outside his office, the close-up on the radio shows a model with electronic climate control.

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Quotes

Truman: [He's trying to leave town in his car, with Meryl. He's gone through various obstacles including traffic jams and a forest fire. Now he's hearing a warning siren; suspiciously] What now?
Meryl: [they're coming up to Seahaven Nuclear Power Station. Police, firemen and men in radiation suits are blocking the road] Truman, it looks like a leak at the plant.
Policeman at Power Plant: [walking up to the car window] Back up, back up. Leak at the plant. We had to shut her down.
Truman: Is there any way around?
Policeman at Power Plant: [shakes head] Whole area's been ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the end credits, the cast is divided between Truman's World, Christof's World and The Viewers

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Alternate Versions

A lot more pseudo-documentary footage on the making of the fictional Truman Show was shot but not used in the theatrical version. Only some short segments have been included in the released film, in the pre-credits sequence. Segments of this outtake footage, featuring Meryl Burbank and Marlon being interviewed and talking about their roles on the show and their personal lives, have been included in some airline versions, presumably to pad the running times.

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Connections

Referenced in Snowpiercer (2013)

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Soundtracks

Scales to America
by David Hirschfelder
Performed by David Hirschfelder and Orchestra
Mary Doumany, Harp
Conducted by Ricky Edwards
Courtesy of Philips Classics
by arrangement with PolyGram Film and TV Music

User Reviews

An On-Film Miracle

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!