Now & Then: The Truman Show (1998)

The Truman Show. Directed by Peter Weir. Written by Andrew Niccol. Starring Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Natasha McElhone, and Ed Harris.

Having not seen it in at least eight years , I decided to re-watch The Truman Show again so I wouldn't be tempted to buy it on Blu-Ray (I already own it on DVD). And though I loved it when it first came out, and saw it about three times in the theater, I'd forgotten just how excellent this movie is. Jim Carrey is fantastic and the script by Andrew Niccol is one of the best, finely-crafted screenplays committed to film in the past 20 years. Peter Weir's direction is graceful and the use of Philip Glass music is inspired and a perfect fit for the events unfolding on screen. The Truman Show was nominated for three Oscars (original screenplay, supporting actor (Ed Harris), and director), and it didn't win any. EW has recently been polling readers as to which Oscars they would revoke in retrospect. In 1998, the films nominated for Best Picture were Shakespeare in Love, Saving Private Ryan, Elizabeth, The Thin Red Line, and Life is Beautiful. Shakespeare ultimately won, and though many (myself included) thought it was a regrettable choice and that Saving Private Ryan should have won, I think The Truman Show was unfairly neglected. Not only should it have been nominated, but it really should have won Best Picture that year. It definitely holds up.

Then: ****1/2

Now: *****

-John