film: the truman show (15)

When Peter Weir announced his intention to direct Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, it seemed as though stupidity had triumphed over intelligence. Yet the shocking truth is that this unlikely alliance has produced the most original and daring American film for years.

Its tale of a man (Carrey) who, from birth, has been the subject of a 24-hour-a-day docu-soap, taps directly into the zeitgeist, raising questions not only about the power of the media and television's relationship with its audience, but also the notion of free will in a society that's under increasing surveillance.

Weir delivers Andrew Niccol's provocative multi-layered screenplay with a light touch, while Carrey's soulful performance stirs the emotions even as the mind is reeling. Oscar surely beckons.

On general release