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The Truman Show Movie Review

“Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!” -Truman Burbank
The Truman Show is a 1998 comedy-drama directed by Peter Weir, and starring Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, the ultimate everyman, whose life just so happens to be on live t.v. for all to see, 24/7, without him knowing.  
For those who don’t know me, I love a good satire.  The satire film has become my favorite movie genre over the years, and when a great friend of mine recommended this film to me for that reason, I decided to give it a watch.  I really enjoyed this film, and found that it really has a lot to say about how much of our lives we share with others, whether we’re willing to or not. I think that the messages it conveys are even more important and timely today than they were when the film came out.  
It’s safe to say that this is one of the most frightening films I have seen.  While it’s far from a horror film, the things that are implied in this film are absolutely terrifying.  This film is also surprisingly uplifting and inspiring. It has a lot of good messages about not letting society’s problems get in the way of your life, perseverance, and following your dreams.
The acting was really good, and Jim Carrey perfectly balances the comedic and dramatic aspects of his character through his performance.  Ed Harris is great here as Christof, the creator of the nationally televised Truman Show, and Laura Linney and Holland Taylor play two brilliantly annoying and despicable characters that I couldn’t help loving to hate.  
I was really invested in the story, and the well written script really captivated my interest.  The music was also incredible, which was something that I wasn’t expecting. I really liked the cinematography for the most part, but this is also a perfect segway into my one flaw with this film.  The decision to make a lot of the scenes look as if they were shot on a surveillance camera got a little old after awhile. I understand that Truman is being filmed nonstop, but we don’t have to see what the surveillance sees for as long as we do.  It worked for a little while, but then the technique got a little old, and came off as gimmicky.
In conclusion, The Truman Show is an intriguing, enjoyable, uplifting, disturbing, paranoia-inducing tale that will inspire you, and maybe even get under your skin a bit as it did for me.
Rating: PG

Grade: A-

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