The Truman Show

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2:32

The Truman Show

PG

Released Jun 5, 1998

1h 42m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

162 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

He doesn't know it, but everything in Truman Burbank's (Jim Carrey) life is part of a massive TV set. Executive producer Christof (Ed Harris) orchestrates "The Truman Show," a live broadcast of Truman's every move captured by hidden cameras. Cristof tries to control Truman's mind, even removing his true love, Sylvia (Natascha McElhone), from the show and replacing her with Meryl (Laura Linney). As Truman gradually discovers the truth, however, he must decide whether to act on it.

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Elvis Mitchell

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

There are no surprises in The Truman Show, except that Weir and Carrey manage to keep the picture on course.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 15, 2023

Full Review

Terry Lawson

Detroit Free Press

This is acting that isn't, but Carrey doesn't let the two-way mirror throw him; his unreality becomes his only real truth.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 14, 2023

Full Review

Quentin Curtis

Daily Telegraph (UK)

It is really about freedom... and it is to our own enslavement that this powerful, brilliant, and profound film speaks.

Feb 14, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It’s a curious social experiment idea, even if it's steeped in a fantasy so comprehensive that it always feels unconvincing.

Rated: 6/10

Sep 16, 2024

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

a prophetic comedy of ideas that hit all too close to home in our media-savvy, television-obsessed, celebrity-enthralled times

Rated: 4/4

Oct 8, 2023

Full Review

Luke Buckmaster

Flicks (AU, NZ, UK)

Thinking about The Truman Show in 2023, it’s clear the film—marvellously written by Andrew Niccol—was ahead of its time in some respects and doomed to be quickly dated in others.

Aug 30, 2023

Full Review

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Ed R

A very unique take a different role for Jim Carrey.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/14/25

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Sophie K

I watched the Truman show for the first time right after my friend and I made the decision to delete Instagram, at a time where the platform felt like an almost mandatory connection to the rest of the world. Like Truman, we literally and figuratively disconnected from a curated, artificial reality. The special thing about this movie is that its central message doesn’t lose power with the years, even gaining relevance with the rise of new technologies and social media platforms such as Instagram. It’s a must-watch movie to anyone questioning the lines between what is authentic and what is mere performance in today's world.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/25

Full Review

Miriam M

In light of the Age of Social Media, AI and political polarization, The Trueman Show, despite coming out in 1998, feels especially relevant in today’s day and age- perhaps more than ever- as it manages to perfectly convey the themes of the impact of the media, the extent of political and societal manipulation and the perception of reality as it relates to freedom and the human experience.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/25

Full Review

Jordan S

Genuinely one of the most thoughtful provoking movies I’ve seen in a very long time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/12/25

Full Review

SilverSparow M

The Truman Show is a true masterpiece. It embodies Hedonism, the philosophical idea of happiness at the cost of safety, masterfully. It is written in such a way that casuals and analysts both will enjoy it, but for completely diffrent reasons. A casual will love it because it is funny. And analysts will love it because of it's rich and depthful themes and symbolism. Highly recommend.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/08/25

Full Review

WhySoSerious ..

Never gets old or less frightening.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/08/25

Full Review

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Peter Weir

Director

Jim Carrey

Truman Burbank

Laura Linney

Meryl Burbank

Noah Emmerich

Marlon

Natascha McElhone

Lauren

Holland Taylor

Truman's Mother

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The Truman Show: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

He doesn't know it, but everything in Truman Burbank's (Jim Carrey) life is part of a massive TV set. Executive producer Christof (Ed Harris) orchestrates "The Truman Show," a live broadcast of Truman's every move captured by hidden cameras. Cristof tries to control Truman's mind, even removing his true love, Sylvia (Natascha McElhone), from the show and replacing her with Meryl (Laura Linney). As Truman gradually discovers the truth, however, he must decide whether to act on it.

Director: Peter Weir
Producer: Scott Rudin, Andrew Niccol, Edward S. Feldman, Adam Schroeder
Screenwriter: Andrew Niccol
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 5, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $125.6M
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Surround

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