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 #167 | Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 40 wins & 66 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 | deception | 

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Taglines:

The World is Watching

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and mild language

Did You Know?

Trivia

While making purchases at a newspaper stand, the salesman asks Truman "Will that be all?" In the first scene, Truman replies "That's the whole kit and kaboodle." In the second scene, he responds "That's the whole ball of wax." Jim Carrey would later use these phrases in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) while his character, Captain Sham, discusses the importance of grammar, saying "It's the whole ball of wax, the entire kit and kaboodle."

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Goofs

Shortly after the movie has started we see a spotlight falling down from the sky. When it is about to hit the ground the landing point is in the shadow of a nearby house. Then for exactly one scene right when the spotlight touches the ground and gets destroyed it happens in full sunlight. FInally when it's all over the now destroyed lamp is in the shadow again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Christof: We've become bored with watching actors give us phony emotions. We are tired of pyrotechnics and special effects. While the world he inhabits is, in some respects, counterfeit, there's nothing fake about Truman himself. No scripts, no cue cards. It isn't always Shakespeare, but it's genuine. It's a life.

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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

References The Howling (1981)

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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

A True American Classic

When I first saw 'The Truman Show' I came out of the theatre amazed. This is your first clue that you are watching something different from your normal Jim Carrey movie. I love the dialogue, camera shot, performances, direction, music, and running time of this movie. There is nothing I would do to change it. I came away from 'The Truman Show' feeling inspired which is the goal of good filmmaking Jim Carrey was outstanding as Truman, underplaying him, not making him too comic or too dramatic, but giving true sincerity when asked. He deserved an Oscar nomination. Ed Harris has always been a good actor, but in this movie he's a great actor. He plays Christof with such arrogance and bullheadedness that you don't know whether he's helping or destroying Truman. He and the director, Peter Weir, deserved their Oscar nods.

Weir, who directed the great 'Witness', uses different camera angles to make you feel like you're actually watching 'The Truman Show' and not a movie. He ends it before you get tired of the concept and helped Carrey and Harris give immaculate performances. Andrew Niccol script is a real star in the movie too because of it's inventiveness and ingenuity. Overall, 'The Truman Show' is what I like to call a true American classic.

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