THE PLOT

        It is true that we have benefited from the modern mass media since the early twentieth century. But with the benefits, we also suffer from the negative aspects of the mass media. The problems of mass media are well illustrated in a film, The Truman Show. The director of the movie tries to express how we can face and overcome those problems, showing the main character, Truman Burbank, confined in a small world created by the mass media.
        From the beginning, Truman is controlled by the mass media. He is thirty years old and is not conscious of being constantly watched by others in the movie. Truman is born in Seaheaven, and he never leaves his hometown. The life of Truman is broadcast live to the whole world in the movie. Truman has no idea that there are cameras in every corner of his world. Seaheaven where Truman lives is part of a film set. His parents, wife, friends, and neighbors are all actors and actresses. Even the sun, the wind, and rain are also part of the artificial background in the movie. As Christoper (Ed Harris) a producer of the television show in the movie, says, "Cue the sun!" Truman can see the sun even at midnight in reality outside the show. Everything in the show is under the control of the producer. About five thousand cameras are set up in houses, behind the mirrors and inside cars, offices, and so on. The world's people watch him on TV: when he awakes, when he walks in the street, when he sleeps, when he works, when he yawns, when he talks nonsense, and so on.
 

A COMPARISON WITH JIM CARREY IN OTHER MOVIES

        Jim Carrey plays the role of this main character, Truman. In this movie, he is described as more serious than in his other films. He used to play only comic characters who sometimes imitated animal's actions using body language as in Ace Ventura. Every character of Ace Ventura was fully influenced by Jim's motions and his own creative lines. The performance of Ace Ventura was not successful in Korea. When they criticized Ace Ventura, most American critics ignored Jim Carrey as a simple comedian only for children. However, in The Truman Show, Jim achieved an unexpected great box office success.
        Together with this success, he filmed The Mask. In The Mask, he acted like a computer graphic image rather than as a human being. He was recognized as the best comedian after he earned two million dollars in the first week of its release in the States. When his next movie Cable Guy came out, it was neither funny nor scary. In another movie Liar Liar, he acted as a good dad who loved his son. In Ace Ventura, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber and Cable Guy, I did not like his over-exaggerated, facial expressions. I thought his strange actions in his movies were somewhat foolish. But in The Truman Show, Jim Carrey turns into a much more serious actor and is remembered for his amazing acts.
        I think that Jim was conspicuously transformed into a suitable actor for the character Truman with his practice in those past successful movies. Now I have begun to like Jim Carrey's looks since I watched The Truman Show. I want to tell you that you can also readily accept Jim Carrey's eyes and his face like an innocent child. Jim Carrey is a mature comedian who started stand-up comedy when he was 15 years old in a club in Canada. People are moving along with Jim Carrey even if it seems very crude to average people. The secret is in the tradition of stand-up comedy which is familiar to Western people.
 

CONCLUSION

        With Jim Carrey as a mature actor, the director of The Truman Show successfully creates a human being whose freedom is strictly limited by the mass media. Truman in the movie is portrayed as an innocent being totally controlled for public amusement. Through this Truman, we realize that we ourselves can be the victims of the mass media with our private lives unknowingly exposed to other people. Truman's final victory over the power of the mass media gives us a hopeful message to deal with any future problems.