We
all felt a bit paranoid after watching The Truman Show. What is real life? As
Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey- Bruce Almighty) suddenly realises all is not what
it seems in Sea Haven, we play along with the game; desperate for Truman to see
what his life really is- a TV show. Ed Harris plays the determined and controlling
Christof, owner of the controversial ‘fish-tank-like’ programme following the
life of Truman, a television idol since birth. As we see the audience glued to
their screens watching Truman’s every move, we realise how much power the media
has in our modern world; this was the principal moral of the movie. Peter Weir
is the real director of the film and he makes us feel that we are the audience
watching the show, with occasional imperfect camera angles, discreet clues
about the real world and special effects to add feeling to each scene but still
keep the star of the show ignorant to his fame. Without much information on the
storyline, only knowing that it was a sci-fi drama based around a TV show, my
expectations were quite modest and it completely exceeded my predicaments, due
to the clever methods of filming the show and the originality of the storyline.
Truman’s
apparent normal life is suddenly thrown into confusion when he pieces together
the small aspects that don’t seem to add up in his world. We watch him trying
to overcome the discreet manipulation that the TV producers use to turn his
ignorance into a high-rated show. I found the film very interesting and
gripping, despite being borderline predictable and having a slow start. The
climax was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat, pleading for Truman to
be granted justice and the ability to get out of Seahaven.
Jim
Carrey does a fantastic job convincing the real audience that Truman is
clueless about the show. He plays the character well, using good actions and
facial expressions to portray the idea that Truman is suspicious and paranoid
about his life. We sympathise with him because we see how innocent and genuine he
really is, and how he has been controlled throughout his life. Laura Linney
plays Truman’s wife, Meryl- she does a brilliant job in portraying her
character as a bad actress, making a few slip-ups in keeping the secret quiet
from Truman. Her facial expressions are unconvincing, forever reminding us that
she is acting as Truman’s wife, tactfully edging away from him and remaining
professional around him, never looking very comfortable. She didn’t gain any
sympathy as it was her decision to trick Truman for her own benefit; she
manipulated him and never took him seriously. Ed Harris (Christof)’s character
is ambiguous to Truman; at the beginning, he plays a God-like figure to him,
creator of his world. However at the end, we see that he has watched Truman’s
whole life and feels protective and paternal over him. In the end scene, when
Christof reveals everything, we realise he is upset to see him leave, his voice
becomes softer and his words to Truman are fatherly. We can understand how
Christof felt, wanting to keep Truman in Seahaven for longer, but I don’t
sympathise with him. He might feel a love for Truman now, but originally he did
it for entertainment purposes. In an interview, the interviewer says ‘Thanks
for giving up so much of your precious time to talk to us’, Christof acts like
this is a generous thing for him to do, but Truman has given his whole life up
and Christof doesn’t realise how differently Truman could have lived without
being on the show.
The
scenes are shot in a very natural and interesting way. The settings are
beautifully lit, always very bright and colourful with plenty of detail. The
cameras are cleverly positioned; many are from specifically low or high angles,
giving the feeling that Truman is being watched. It singles him out and makes
him look alone, the only one who doesn’t know the truth behind his life. Sometimes
the angles make him look smaller and more vulnerable. Many cameras are hidden
in the costumes and sets. To show this, some edges are blacked out, giving the
effect of a button or desk camera. Sometimes, with these angles, the cameras
are very jolty and have more noticeable zooms. This portrays people purposely
watching him. During Truman’s life, the technology improves. We see him as a
baby staring at a mobile above his cot with a camera hanging off; as Truman
grows, the cameras get more discreetly hidden and the shots less ‘perfectly’
placed and captured. In the last scene, as Truman steps out into the real
world, we only see darkness, symbolising that he has been watched his whole life
and now he should be free.
The
soundtrack to the film is very subtle and natural. It means that Truman is
always in the spotlight. Watching the film, I didn’t really notice much backing
music, but when I did notice some, it added emotion and atmosphere to the
feeling of the scene. It draws people in and the simplicity and sincerity of the
melody added to the innocence of Truman.
This
film is topical in our age of reality TV shows and celebrity personalities- it
is often compared to George Orwell’s ‘1984’, which is similarly about being
watched and lack of freedom. As somebody who enjoys watching reality TV and
often reads Hello magazine, I completely understand how Truman was manipulated
into a celebrity-shaped TV star for the public’s enjoyment. The last scene really
links to real life, where the audience (previously gripped to their screens
throughout Truman’s last shows) switch to another channel and have nothing else
to say about the show’s dramatic finish. It portrays that fame isn’t forever
and media is always forgotten. It shows that the audience only wanted
entertainment, and didn’t care for the effect it had on Truman. I would
recommend this film to anybody older than 12, who enjoy reading about
celebrities and reality-life, because it gave me a great insight into how a
celebrity must feel, being watched everyday; however I don’t think anybody
younger would understand the concept, or notice the film’s subtle details.
The
Truman Show was extremely cleverly written, and the storyline was enjoyable to
watch. I would rate it an 8/10, because I haven’t ever seen a film like it and
I thought the extra effort taken to see the film from interesting camera angles
improved it lots; it lost out on 2 points because sometimes, it was quite slow
moving and confusing.
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