EdTV | | Cast : | Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman | | Director : | Ron Howard | | Studio : | Universal Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | March 26, 1999 | | DVD Released Date : | March 04, 2003 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | June 28, 2005 | | Summary | Can you say Truman Show? | Content
 | EDTV pales in comparison to the Truman Show, and it shows, when me, the girl who gets withdrawal symptoms when Big Brother finishes in the UK every year, couldn't even sit through it. I lasted 26 minutes exactly, before I gave up and switched it off. Thankfully, I got it for dead cheap, but there's no re-sale value to it now, so I'm lumbered with it. Aren't I the lucky one?
I much prefer Truman Show to this. The irritating Matthew *insert unpronounceable name here* doesn't have the sweet charming innocence that Jim Carrey does. I don't see what all the fuss is about with him - chop off his head, he would be OK, but that head is stuck on good, isn't it? He plays a loser who wakes up each morning looking unattractive, and with what was horribly described as a "morning chubby", and then proceeds to clip his toenails. Ewwwwwwwwwwwww! And the film is overly long, and if the first 26 minutes were anything to go by, then I'm glad I switched it off.
Don't waste your time, don't waste your money. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 31, 2005 | | Summary | REEL LIFE | Content
| EDtv is not as farfetched as it may have seemed when released. We now have so many "reality" shows that the stuff going on in this flick pales in comparison. What makes Ron Howard's film worthwhile is the way it shows how "real life" goes to "reel life" in a matter of days, as Ed's life is "programmed" to bring in higher ratings. Initially doomed for failure, Ed's life becomes the fodder for everyman's desire to see someone "little" make it big. Millions of fans become obsessed with Ed's life, and of course his mixed up family and romantic life even makes the ratings soar. There are some wonderful little gimmicks Howard uses to show how the series that is doomed to fail becomes such a megahit. In the beginning, the advertisers names flashed across the bottom are local businesses; once EDtv catches on, major companies are flashed instead. Ed's choices in life lead the fans to follow suit: notice how the pizza parlor's business booms after Ed says it's the best pizza in San Francisco (this is in the deleted scenes only). Although the EDtv started out as wanting to capture the real moments in Ed's life, by the time two or three months have passed, Ed's life is no more real than those on "Survivor" or "Big Brother." Let's face it: how can one go about their normal life with microphones and cameras catching everything.
Howard succeeds, however, in making much of the movie seem real; there are times when the characters act as if there wasn't anyone around at all. But, notice how Elizabeth Hurley's character inhales the cameras and all her moves are calculated to look good on film. Note the cruelty, too, of the fans who decide that Sherry (Ed's love) is too plain and not good enough for him, but how they love it when he starts making out with Jill. This fades quickly though once Ed falls off the table and smooshes Jill's cat.
EDtv doesn't always work; it's a little too long, and if you watch the deleted scenes, you'll be amazed at how much they cut out.
The cast is uniformly excellent. Matthew McConaughey as Ed possesses the kind of charismatic charm that would enslave a wide variety of people; Jenna Elfman's cuteness serves the character of Sherry well; Woody Harrelson brings a smarmy but comic force to the role of Ed's opportunistic brother; Ellen DeGeneres is superb as Cynthia, the woman behind the series; Rob Reiner is good as the arrogant and self-centered producer; Martin Landau and Sally Kirkland as Ed's stepfather and real mother are likewise excellent. I wasn't overly impressed with Hurley or Dennis Hopper as Ed's real dad, but their characters were the most under-developed in the whole film.
All in all, EDtv gives us the warning that exposition of one's real life isn't all it is cracked out to be. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 03, 2005 | | Summary | Reality TV | Content
| I remember when this movie first came out and people thought it was absurd. Who would tune in to watch a guy just being himself. Now all of a sudden in today's society it doesn't seem that odd. It is a somewhat cute movie. At times it could be considered a chick flick. I wouldn't necessarily consider it a comedy but it is pretty funny at times. The cast really comes through and rescues this movie from itself. I would only give it a 3 but with the all-star cast I'll give it a 4. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 19, 2004 | | Summary | SHOULD BE RATED R!!! | Content
| I think this should be rated R! It has very mature scenes. My parents aren't strict about what I watch. Im 10 and they let me watch things like "It" and "Jeepers Creepers" But they made me leave the room several times when I watched it with them. They made me leave because of some of the scenes. And this isn't even R rated. There is a part when Ed is playing with is balls and there is a sex scene. I'm just saying this should be an R movie |
| Rating | | | Date | August 17, 2004 | | Summary | Precursor of the Survivor series? | Content
| This movie preceded the whole Survivor thing on TV, and its characters are a heck of a lot more likable. Mathew McConaughey plays a guy from Texas living and working in San Francisco as a video clerk (I did not understand how he ended up in SF guess I gotta watch the movie again) that gets chosen by a desperate TV station that has come up with a new concept as a last resort: they will have cameras follow a guy 24/7 EVERYWHERE except to the bathroom. The concept succeeds beyond their wildest dreams because the guy's family is a mess, and a funny one at that. The movie is really funny and original, I think. Jenna Elfman is great in it too, I like her. Other actors of note: Rob Reiner, EllenDeGeneris, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Hopper and Elizabeth Hurley. This version, which is the one I have, has zero special features, only an index of the chapters. Amazon sells another version that has more goodies. Overall I enjoyed the movie and will be seeing it again. |
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