(Credit: Netflix)

No one in the world has not experienced the flavour of betrayal. We have all been lied to at some point about people, promises, and even purpose. But imagine waking up one day to discover that your entire life has been a lie. That everything around you, your family, your friends, your job, your morning routine, has been scripted, staged, and sold to an audience. That is the Jim Carrey starrer The Truman Show.

Released in the year 1998, this film, when first released, was a concept nobody ever thought could be turned into a surreal psychological drama. The film felt like a quirky, clever satire at the time. But honestly, it is a timeless masterpiece and will be relatable to people of every generation. The story is of a man named Truman Burbank (played by the fantastic Jim Carrey), who is the first reality star. But what’s the catch? It’s that Truman doesn’t know it. His every move, since childhood, has been broadcast live to the world from a massive domed set he believes is real.

Everyone, including his beloved mother and wife, is an actor and knows the truth, except for the poor guy. But as cracks begin to appear in this perfect facade, Truman’s slow realisation becomes a quiet, soul-shaking rebellion. And here is where Jim Carrey delivers the most disarming performance of his career. The actor is generally known for being loud and comic, has completely transformed himself in The Truman Show and has delivered the finest performance of his career.

That being said, the film does have some blind spots. For a story built on psychological trauma, the film barely lingers on the actual emotional fallout of such a betrayal. Imagine yourself in the position of Truman and think about the reaction you would have when you find out everything around you was a lie, and on top of that, even your smallest secrets, which were limited to yourself, were broadcast on a television 24/7.

On the contrary, when Truman discovers the truth about his false life, without letting him soak it let alone the audience, the film rushes towards the aftermath. It feels like the narrative is more inclined towards the metaphor than the messy human truth. Sure, subtlety holds a lot of power, but sometimes you want the story to marinate in pain a little longer.

Even Christof, the show’s creator, played by Ed Harris, feels more of a concept than a character. His monologues feel like they have a god-complex and are chilling, but at times, it feels like his moral ambiguity could have gone deeper. Overall, the film seems more into symbolic storytelling rather than mining the opportunity they had to explore the psychology of control.

Still, The Truman Show holds up as one of the boldest commentaries on media, identity and the need for truth. Long before reality TV exploded and social media blurred the line between performance and authenticity, this film raised the question of “how real is the world that we live in?”

A good note that can be explored in life, inspired by the aftereffects of this film, is to truly enjoy the present and the character energy you have inside you. Because you never know if this life of yours is getting broadcast in some alternate world where you are the main character for the viewers. The point is not to get scared and feel judged, but to enjoy it to the fullest, like you are the hero of your film.

If you have never watched The Truman Show, now is the time. The film is streaming on Netflix, and it deserves to be seen and re-seen, but not just as a film, but as a lens to look at the world that we live in.