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{{Infobox movie
| name           = The Truman Show
| director       = [[Peter Weir]]
| producer       = {{Plain list|
* [[Scott Rudin]]
* Andrew Niccol
* [[Edward S. Feldman]]
* [[Adam Schroeder]]
}}
| writer         = [[Andrew Niccol]]
| starring       = {{Plain list|
* [[Jim Carrey]]
* [[Laura Linney]]
* [[Noah Emmerich]]
* [[Natascha McElhone]]
* [[Holland Taylor]]
* [[Ed Harris]]
<!-- Per billing block -->
}}
| music          = {{Plain list|
* [[Burkhard Dallwitz]]
* [[Philip Glass]]
* [[Wojciech Kilar]]
}}
| cinematography = [[Peter Biziou]]
| editing        = {{Plain list|
* [[William M. Anderson|William Anderson]]
* [[Lee Smith (film editor)|Lee Smith]]
}}
| studio         = [[Scott Rudin Productions]]
| distributor    = [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1998|06|01|Los Angeles|1998|06|05|United States}}
| runtime        = 103 minutes<ref>{{cite web |title=The Truman Show |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-truman-show-film-qxnzzxq6vlgtnzu3otqy |publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130033654/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-truman-show-film-qxnzzxq6vlgtnzu3otqy |url-status=live }}</ref>
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $60&nbsp;million<ref name="Numbers">{{cite web |title=The Truman Show (1998) - Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Truman-Show-The#tab=summary |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-date=January 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105063756/http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Truman-Show-The#tab=summary |url-status=live }}</ref>
| gross          = $264.1&nbsp;million<ref name="Mojo">{{cite web |title=The Truman Show (1998) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=trumanshow.htm |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102162456/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=trumanshow.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
'''''The Truman Show''''' is a 1998 [[United States|American]] [[comedy]]-[[drama movie]]. It is directed by [[Peter Weir]] and was [[screenwriter|written]] by [[Andrew Niccol]].

The movie shows the story of Truman Burbank, who does not know that he is living his whole life in a giant [[dome]] and is being recorded and shown as a live TV show. All his friends, family and community are actors who are paid to stop him from leaving and not say the truth to him.

The movie stars [[Laura Linney]], [[Ed Harris]], [[Noah Emmerich]], [[Natascha McElhone]], [[Holland Taylor]], [[Paul Giamatti]], and Brian Delate.

== Plot ==
Truman Burbank was adopted by a television studio after an [[unwanted pregnancy]] and he becomes the star of ''The Truman Show'', without knowing. He is being recorded all the time, using around 5000 cameras, and shown across the world.

Truman lives on Seahaven Island, which is made up of a very big set. This means Christof, who created and runs the show, to mostly control Truman's life in many ways, even by changing the weather. Lots of actors are on Seahaven Island to make a community for him, but stop him from knowing his world is not real. The actors often use hidden [[product placement]] to earn money for the show, as there are no advertisements. Christof made up events to make Truman afraid of water, like saying Truman's father died in a storm at sea, but this is not true. The other actors also try to stop him from leaving by giving him reasons to stay home and making travel seem dangerous.

The producers wanted Truman to fall in love and marry Meryl, who he studied with at college, but he develops feelings for another student, Sylvia. Sylvia was just an [[Extra (acting)|extra]] and so she tries to tell Truman his life is a fiction, but she gets fired before she can properly explain. Truman marries Meryl but he does not really love her. He instead imagines a life with Sylvia and dreams of going to [[Fiji]] where he was told she moved to. In real life, Sylvia joins "Free Truman", a group that wants to free Truman from the life he is in.

As Truman and the show get to almost 30 years old, Truman starts to find strange things around him. There is a stage light that serves as the star [[Sirius]] that falls out of the sky and almost hits him, there is rain that only falls over him and not anywhere else, he tunes into a radio that read out his movements around town and he saw his father, who he thought had drowned, but he is quickly bought away. Truman starts to think the city is built around him and questions his life. He asks who he sees as some of his closest friends to help him.

Truman ends up trying to leave the island but many unlikely events block his way. He is caught and returned home with a weak reason. He questions Meryl about their marriage. Meryl changes the subject and tries to do a product placement. This causes Truman to lose control and hold her at knifepoint. Meryl [[breaking character|breaks character]] and ends up being removed from the show.

Christof brings his father back onto the show to get Truman back to normal. The show's ratings get better and Truman seems to get back to normal. However, one night, Christof finds out Truman has started sleeping in his basement. He sends Truman's best friend Marlon to visit then finds out Truman has escaped through a tunnel in the basement. Christof suspends the show's broadcast for the first time ever, meaning a lot of people view the show.

Christof makes the whole town search for Truman and brings daylight to the town at midnight to make it easier to find him. Truman is found sailing away and no longer seems to be scared of water. Christof starts the show broadcasting again and creates a violent storm to overturn Truman's boat. He nearly drowns but he keeps sailing until the boat hits the end of the set.

Truman looks around and finds a staircase that leads to an exit. As he thinks about leaving, Christof speaks to Truman from the sky of the set. He tells him the truth about the show and wants him to stay, saying it is better in this fake world than the real one. Truman says, "In case I don't see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good night", bows to the audience, then leaves. People around the world celebrate him escaping and Sylvia makes her way to the studio to greet him. The show is left on a shot of the open exit door, which upsets Christof.

After the program ends, Truman’s viewers look for something else to watch.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Jim Carrey]] as Truman Burbank.
:[[Robin Williams]] was looked at for the role before. Weir cast Carrey after seeing him in ''[[Ace Ventura: Pet Detective]]'', saying Carrey's acting made him think of [[Charlie Chaplin]].<ref name="pro">{{cite magazine |author=Svetkey, Benjamin |title=Jim Carrey's serious turn in The Truman Show |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=June 5, 1998 |url=https://ew.com/article/1998/06/05/jim-carreys-serious-turn-truman-show/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217162436/https://ew.com/article/1998/06/05/jim-carreys-serious-turn-truman-show/ |archive-date=February 17, 2020 |access-date=March 16, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Gary Oldman]] did a screen test for the role.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/06/truman-show-anniversary-jim-carrey-peter-weir-laura-linney | title=Twenty Years Later, Everything is the Truman Show | website=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] | date=June 5, 2018 }}</ref> Carrey took the role to show he could play different characters, rather than just funny ones.<ref>{{cite news | author = Weinraub, Bernard | title = Director Tries a Fantasy As He Questions Reality | work = The New York Times | date = May 21, 1998 | url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E0D71539F932A15756C0A96E958260 | access-date = April 1, 2008 | archive-date = July 13, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210713225146/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/21/movies/director-tries-a-fantasy-as-he-questions-reality.html | url-status = live }}</ref> Carrey agreed to do ''The Truman Show'' for $12&nbsp;million but he was often paid $20&nbsp;million per movie then.<ref name="12mil">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/new-truman-villain-harris-1117435072/|title=New ''Truman'' villain: Harris|date=April 7, 1997|work=Variety|author=Busch, Anita M.|access-date=March 27, 2017|archive-date=March 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327080406/http://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/new-truman-villain-harris-1117435072/|url-status=live}}</ref> Carrey also said it was the fastest that he ever accepted a role.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://screenrant.com/the-truman-show-jim-carrey-cast-fastest-response/ | title=The Truman Show is the Fastest Jim Carrey Ever Said Yes to a Role | website=[[Screen Rant]] | date=April 4, 2022 }}</ref> The scene where Truman says "this planet Trumania of the Burbank galaxy" to the bathroom mirror was Carrey's idea.<ref name="part2">{{cite video | title = How's It Going to End? The Making of The Truman Show, Part 2| medium = DVD | publisher = Paramount Pictures |year = 2005}}</ref>
* [[Laura Linney]] as Hannah Gill, acting as Meryl Burbank, Truman's wife.
:Linney looked at [[Sears]] catalogs from the 1950s to work on her character's [[wikt:pose|poses]].<ref name="part1">{{Cite video |title=How's It Going to End? The Making of The Truman Show, Part 1 |year=2005 |publisher=Paramount Pictures |medium=DVD}}</ref>
* [[Ed Harris]] as Christof.
:[[Dennis Hopper]] was originally cast in the role, but he left in April 1997 soon after filming began.<ref name="12mil" /> Hopper later said he was fired after two days because Weir and producer [[Scott Rudin]] did not think his acting was good.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://sabotagetimes.com/tv-film/at-home-with-dennis-hopper | title=Farewell then Dennis Hopper | access-date=August 5, 2019 | archive-date=August 5, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805071652/https://sabotagetimes.com/tv-film/at-home-with-dennis-hopper | url-status=live }}</ref> Other actors turned down the role after Hopper left, until Harris agreed to act as Christof.<ref name="part2" /> Harris thought about making Christof a [[Kyphosis|hunchback]], but Weir did not like the idea.<ref name="pro" />
* [[Noah Emmerich]] as Louis Coltrane, playing Marlon, Truman's best friend.
:His name is made up of two jazz musicians, [[Louis Armstrong]] and [[John Coltrane]].
* [[Natascha McElhone]] as Sylvia, playing Lauren Garland, another student at Truman's college school. She was meant as a [[Extra (acting)|background character]], but Truman had a crush on her. This relationship was the only real part of Truman's life in Seahaven.
* [[Holland Taylor]] as Alanis Montclair, playing Angela Montclair, Truman's mother.
* Brian Delate as Walter Moore, playing Truman's father Kirk Burbank.
* [[Paul Giamatti]] as Simeon, the control room director.
* Una Damon as Chloe, Christof's control room assistant.
* [[Peter Krause]] as an unnamed actor playing Laurence, Truman's boss.
* [[Harry Shearer]] as Mike Michaelson, a TV [[Talk show|talk-show]] host.
* [[Philip Baker Hall]] as the network executive.
* [[Joel McKinnon Miller]] as a garage attendant.
}}

==Release==
The movie was originally going to release on August 8, 1997. However, it was pushed back to November 14, 1997, and then to the summer of 1998.<ref>{{cite news|author=Hindes, Andrew|url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/speed-2-shifted-in-sked-scramble-1117435175/|title=''Speed 2'' shifted in sked scramble|work=Variety|date=April 10, 1997|access-date=March 8, 2008|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714110714/https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/speed-2-shifted-in-sked-scramble-1117435175/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://ew.com/article/1997/10/17/its-show-time/|title=It's 'Show' Time|work=EW.com|access-date=June 11, 2018|language=en|archive-date=August 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809093403/https://ew.com/article/1997/10/17/its-show-time/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[NBC]] purchased [[Broadcasting|broadcast rights]] in December 1997, around eight months before the movie was released.<ref>{{cite news|author=Hontz, Jenny|url= https://www.variety.com/article/VR111786719.html|title=Peacock buys Par pic pack|work=Variety|date=December 18, 1997|access-date=March 8, 2008}}</ref> In March 2000, [[Turner Broadcasting System]] purchased the rights, and now airs the film on [[TBS (American TV channel)|TBS]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Turner Broadcasting Acquires ''Runaway Bride'', ''Deep Impact'', ''The Truman Show'', ''Forrest Gump'' and Others in Film Deal With Paramount | publisher = Business Wire | date = March 6, 2000}}</ref>

=== Home media ===
[[Paramount Home Entertainment]] released the movie on [[VHS]] on January 12, 1999,<ref>{{Cite web |title=VHS - The Truman Show - Paramount - USA |url=https://www.45worlds.com/dvd/disc/097363311232 |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=www.45worlds.com}}</ref> and [[DVD]] on January 26, 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DVD - The Truman Show - Paramount - USA |url=https://www.45worlds.com/dvd/disc/097363311270 |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=www.45worlds.com}}</ref> A "Special Edition" was released on August 23, 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DVD Talk |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/17233 |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=www.dvdtalk.com}}</ref> It was later released on [[Blu-ray]] on December 30, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DVD Savant Blu-Ray Review: The Truman Show |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s2779trum.html |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=www.dvdtalk.com}}</ref> An [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] was released on July 4, 2023, to celebrate the movie's 25th anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gonzales |first=Dillon |date=April 30, 2023 |title=Jim Carrey's Classic 'The Truman Show' Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With A 4K UHD Blu-Ray This July |url=https://geekvibesnation.com/jim-carreys-classic-the-truman-show-celebrates-its-25th-anniversary-with-a-4k-uhd-blu-ray-this-july/ |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=Geek Vibes Nation |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Truman Show - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Ultra HD Review {{!}} High Def Digest |url=https://ultrahd.highdefdigest.com/116994/thetrumanshow4kultrahdbluray.html |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=ultrahd.highdefdigest.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2023 |title='The Truman Show' 25th Anniversary; Arrives On 4K Ultra HD July 4, 2023 From Paramount {{!}} Screen-Connections |url=https://screen-connections.com/2023/04/26/the-truman-show-4k-uhd-release-details/ |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=screen-connections.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Prange |first=Stephanie |date=April 26, 2023 |title='The Truman Show' Headed to 4K Ultra HD July 4 for 25th |url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/the-truman-show-headed-to-4k-ultra-hd-july-4-for-25th/ |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=Media Play News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Becky |date=April 26, 2023 |title=The Truman Show Comes to 4K UHD this Summer for its 25th Anniversary |url=https://www.cinelinx.com/movie-news/blu-crew/the-truman-show-comes-to-4k-uhd-this-summer-for-its-25th-anniversary/ |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=Cinelinx {{!}} Movies. Games. Geek Culture. |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Reception ==
=== Critical response ===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''The Truman Show'' has a 94% approval with 162 reviews and an average rating of 8.50/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A funny, tender, and thought-provoking film, ''The Truman Show'' is all the more noteworthy for its remarkably prescient vision of runaway celebrity culture and a nation with an insatiable thirst for the private details of ordinary lives."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/truman_show|title=The Truman Show (1998)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=January 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110110756/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/truman_show|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] gave the movie a score of 90 out of 100 based on 30 critics, meaning "universal acclaim".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-truman-show|title=The Truman Show (1998)|website=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|access-date=June 24, 2019|archive-date=July 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714174122/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-truman-show|url-status=live}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the movie an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemascore.com|title=CinemaScore|website=[[CinemaScore]]|access-date=June 24, 2019|archive-date=October 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002151753/https://www.cinemascore.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] gave the movie four out of four stars and said it was like ''[[Forrest Gump]]''. He thought the movie had the right balance of comedy and drama. He was also liked [[Jim Carrey]]'s dramatic acting.<ref>{{cite news|author=Ebert, Roger|author-link=Roger Ebert|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-truman-show-1998|title=The Truman Show|publisher=RogerEbert.com|date=June 5, 1998|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-date=December 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222161430/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-truman-show-1998|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Kenneth Turan]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' wrote, "''The Truman Show'' is emotionally involving without losing the ability to raise sharp satiric questions as well as get numerous laughs. The rare film that is disturbing despite working beautifully within standard industry norms."<ref>{{cite news|author=Turna, Kenneth |author-link=Kenneth Turan |url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie980623-6,0,6333826.story |title=The Truman Show |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 5, 1998 |access-date=March 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317005853/http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie980623-6%2C0%2C6333826.story |archive-date=March 17, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He would name it the best movie of 1998.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://articles.latimes.com/1998/dec/27/entertainment/ca-57823 | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Kenneth | last=Turan | date=December 27, 1998 | title='Truman Show' Was Definitely the One to Watch | access-date=April 20, 2020 | archive-date=March 5, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305202558/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/dec/27/entertainment/ca-57823 | url-status=live }}</ref> In June 2010, ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' named Truman one of the 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years: Here's our full list!|url=http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/01/100-greatest-characters-of-last-20-years-full-list/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=July 7, 2012|author=Adam B. Vary|date=June 1, 2010|archive-date=June 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603030900/http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/01/100-greatest-characters-of-last-20-years-full-list/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[James Berardinelli]] liked the way the movie was "not being the casual summer blockbuster with special effects", and he made a comparison of Carrey's "[charismatic], understated and effective" performance to [[Tom Hanks]] and [[James Stewart]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Berardinelli, James|author-link=James Berardinelli|url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/t/truman.html|title=The Truman Show|publisher=ReelViews|date=June 5, 1998|access-date=March 21, 2008|archive-date=February 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203220023/http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/t/truman.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Jonathan Rosenbaum]] of the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' wrote, "Undeniably provocative and reasonably entertaining, ''The Truman Show'' is one of those high-concept movies whose concept is both clever and dumb."<ref>{{cite news|author=Rosenbaum, Jonathan|author-link=Jonathan Rosenbaum|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-audience-is-us/Content?oid=896501|title=The Audience Is Us|newspaper=Chicago Reader|access-date=October 27, 2014|archive-date=November 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108170607/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-audience-is-us/Content?oid=896501|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Tom Meek]] of ''[[Film Threat]]'' said the movie was not funny enough but still found "something rewarding in its quirky demeanor".<ref>{{cite news|author=Meek, Tom|author-link=Tom Meek|url=https://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=1057|title=The Truman Show|publisher=Film Threat|access-date=March 21, 2008|archive-date=December 7, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207152733/http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=1057|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Related pages==
*[[The Truman Show delusion]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Other websites==
* {{IMDb title|0120382}}
* {{AllMovie title|161628|The Truman Show}}
* {{mojo title|trumanshow|The Truman Show}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
* {{Metacritic film|title=The Truman Show}}
* [https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Truman-Show,-The.html ''The Truman Show'' screenplay]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Truman Show, The}}
[[Category:1998 comedy-drama movies]]
[[Category:1990s satirical movies]]
[[Category:American comedy-drama movies]]
[[Category:American satirical movies]]
[[Category:English-language movies]]
[[Category:Movies directed by Peter Weir]]
[[Category:Movies about television]]
[[Category:Dystopian movies]]
[[Category:Fictional television shows]]