If the Truman show is measured in terms of literary genre, then I think it belongs to the absurd novel. The essence of the Absurd novel is that it constructs the absurd social order, and the core that the author wants to highlight is what still maintains the normal social logic at this time. The Truman world doesn’t exist in real life yet (and it may someday, thanks to technology), but the life in and out of the “paradise” depicted in the film is downright realistic. Truman’s desire for the outside world, his friends’ deception for profit, the director’s desire for control, and the voyeuristic desire of the people outside the “paradise” all make The Truman Show seem so real.
The main plot of the film is clearly Truman himself. His father’s resurrection and being kidnapped make Truman begin to doubt the reality of the world he lives in. The attitude of his family and friends makes Truman begin to doubt whether the people around him are also actors. Later, various travel plans are obstructed and his life is manipulated, which makes Truman finally decide to leave Paradise Island and pursue the real world. In addition to Truman, several supporting performances are the icing on the cake. Malone’s good guidance, from the actor’s role of incompetent friend to Truman disappeared in the scene of the general control of the role switch; Christopher’s mastery of everything, from Truman’s birth to his final admonitions about his imminent departure from Peach Land, makes sense in this absurd atmosphere.
Truman each role in everyday life and missing or anxious or frustrated when the image contrast is very interesting, from the fact revealed they don not Truman’s friend, Truman himself everyday sweet and kind and worthless in their eyes, and he disappeared will make these supporting relentlessly lambasting him as a bastard.
The film has done a very good job in the topic selection, narrative technique and the choice of actors. At the same time, it also makes use of small means such as plot contrast and music foil to make the film seem absurd and funny, which adds a lot to the film.
Nowadays,the TV screen is full of reality shows, but I feel deeply helpless and sad. Because we suddenly realized that in fact, each of us is Truman, or even less than Truman. We spend our whole life wandering in a “set” world, but unable to get out of our “Truman’s world”. Perhaps Jim Carrey felt the same deep sense of powerlessness in The Truman Show, when, shortly after the film’s release, he fell into a severe depression. Can you imagine that? He used the world’s most funny performance, amused hundreds of millions of audience, but his heart, is dark and painful.
Jim Carrey and the film achieved each other, although it did not win the Oscar awards, but judging from the people’s comments, this is a great film, can make the audience resonate and reflect. Time will tell, as The Truman Show is still a super classic and worth watching multiple times.