The Truman Show

Carrey the One

If I told someone that hadn't seen this movie that Jim Carrey is perfect as the lead, that would be enough motivation for many to skip it. I've enjoyed Carrey's antics in the past, notably in Liar Liar, but it still didn't prepare me for this. He plays a character the likes of which real life doesn't provide us, providing both the entertainment value for the audience in the movie and the excitement for the audience watching the movie.

Storytelling

Andrew Niccol, who made a name for himself by directing and writing Gattaca, provided the story for Truman. The structure for the narrative leads in interesting directions. Since this is a new story, there's still curiosity in seeing it unfold. Truman's epiphanies are often shared with the audience, and the story reveals its details in its own time.

Genuine Artificial

The real town of Seaside provides a perfect setting for The Truman Show. The homogeneity of the architecture and color schemes looks eerily like a town built by a producer. Since Seahaven is supposed to be such a town, it's difficult to believe that Seaside is a real place. I don't know whether to credit the town or the cinematography by Peter Biziou for the bright, sharp look. The colors leap off the screen, and it enhances the surreality of Truman's experience.

Inventive Angling

To chronicle a life secretly requires cameras in unusual locations, and the movie finds some great ones. I particularly enjoy the inside-the-car-radio perspective and the inside-the-vending- machine perspective. It's also funny that many of the characters in Seahaven are also camera operators, and not always very good ones. The nonstandard perspectives don't dominate the film, but they enhance the flavor quite a bit.