I’ve heard about The Truman Show many times and the movie has been on my wishlist for a long time. When it showed up on my Netflix recommendations yesterday I jumped into it with high expectations. I knew the plotline of the movie already and it was pretty interesting, I was keen to see how it was executed and what makes it a classic. I’m afraid the movie did not live up to my expectations.
The story
Truman Burbank lives a seemingly idyllic life in the picturesque town of Seahaven. Unbeknownst to him, his entire existence is a meticulously crafted reality television show, broadcast to the world 24/7. Everyone around him, including his wife Meryl and best friend Marlon, are actors following a script orchestrated by the show’s creator, Christof.
As Truman grows older, strange occurrences and inconsistencies begin to spark his suspicion. A falling stage light, a radio transmission revealing his movements, and the sudden reappearance of his long-deceased father lead him to question the reality of his world. Driven by a yearning for his college sweetheart, Sylvia, who was abruptly removed from his life, Truman becomes determined to escape Seahaven.
Despite Christof’s increasingly desperate attempts to keep him contained through manufactured obstacles and emotional manipulation, Truman’s resolve strengthens. He confronts his lifelong fear of water and sets sail, eventually reaching the edge of his artificial world – a painted wall. Discovering a door, Truman is met by Christof, who tries to persuade him to stay in the familiar comfort of his fabricated reality. However, Truman chooses the unknown truth, uttering his iconic catchphrase before stepping out into the real world, leaving the global audience in suspense.
Logistics
Naturally, executing a plot as unrealistic as this has its challenges, and there are a few questionable reasoning throughout the movie. Truman has apparently lived his entire life in this set, unaware that the world around him is fake. It is close to impossible for such a simulation to sustain for thirty long years before the protagonist begins to question it. However, I am always willing to ignore the logistical errors when the plot are story are indulging enough.
Disappointment
As much as I loved the plot of the movie, what disappointed me was that it was not built well and long enough. Truman begins to question his life and Christof has a challenge in his hands when he does; but the process simply takes place too fast and too hurriedly for us to be actually convinced of Truman’s cognitive process, which would have been far more complex than what was portrayed. Imagine discovering that your entire life has been fake, simulated and manipulated for the entire world to watch – it would be way more traumatizing than Truman was shown to be.
The ending too wasn’t convincing enough for me – Christof is an emotionless man who makes a feeble attempt to keep Truman in his show when he reaches the painted horizon across the sea, which Truman obviously turns down and leaves to his freedom. We don’t get to see what happens next – which would have been an interesting because he walks into the real world where everyone knows every aspect of his life thus far. How he would manoeuvre through the newfound fame and the madness around him would have made a great story. The ending was rather lacklustre given the hype the plot has received.
Ahead of its time
Regardless, The Truman Show is a commendable movie given the fact that it was made in 1998, when the concept of reality television was quite different from what we see today. The movie was certainly ahead of its time, and the set design is IMPECCABLE with the perfectly designed architecture, roads, carefully placed people and the cast members of Truman’s life, and truly smart product placements incorporated into the script of Truman’s life. Other than the underwhelming journey of discovery and the unceremonious climax, The Truman Show is admittedly a commendable movie. It’s a personal opinion that it did not live up to my expectations. Also, it might be true that I went in with a lot of expectations given the hype it had in my mind.
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