EDtv

UK Release: 19th November 1999

Watched on DVD: Tuesday 25th September 2012

Rating: 12

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 2hrs 2mins

Tagline: The story of a nobody everybody is watching

IMDb Plot Synopsis: A comedy about a video store clerk Ed whose life is thrown into chaos when he agrees to let an executive of a television studio film him for 24 hours.

My Review: I can’t begin to tell you how happily surprised I was at how much I enjoyed this film! As a huge fan of The Truman Show I was admittedly skeptical that EDtv was just a cop out of this original concept but actually, while there are similarities of course, the differences between them make them succinct enough that they both work well and examining different sides to that ‘reality tv’ concept. The Truman Show looked at how this young boy had grown up in a fake reality of which he had no knowledge and the journey he goes through as he realises and breaks (literally) the boundaries of his reality. EDtv is perhaps less of a think piece in that sense as Matthew McConaughey’s character willingly signs up to be filmed 24/7, he just doesn’t realise (foolishly, as he soon discovers) quite how much of his life and freedom he has signed away. 

This is when the hilarious nature of this film shines through. Imagine if you were filmed 24/7... the embarrassment, elation and annoyance. He becomes famous but then he learns that isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And it’s not all about Ed. His relationship with his family is put under serious pain and some of the most heartfelt and funniest scenes are with his family (such as Woody Harrelson). And of course being a young man his relationships are put under scrutiny too which were great fun to watch. Just in general the amount of moral and ethical issues explored in this film in such a funny and interesting way made the postmodernist in me jump for joy! 

Score: 8/10