EdTV (1999)

64% of critics liked it
(44 reviews)
31% of users liked it
(59,016 ratings)

The turning point in the life of Ed Pekurny (Matthew McConaughey) comes thanks to the misfortunes of the NorthWest Broadcasting Company. After two years on the air, their flagship cable channel, True TV, has slid into obscurity due to competition from the The Gardening Channel. Program director… More The turning point in the life of Ed Pekurny (Matthew McConaughey) comes thanks to the misfortunes of the NorthWest Broadcasting Company. After two years on the air, their flagship cable channel, True TV, has slid into obscurity due to competition from the The Gardening Channel. Program director Cynthia Topping (Ellen DeGeneres) brainstorms a last ditch effort to save the channel: broadcast one ordinary person's life 24 hours a day, unedited (while he sleeps, the day's highlights will be shown). When the network agrees to the idea, Topping must find the subject of her program. After endless auditions, she lucks upon Ed, a goofy but good-looking video store clerk. Ed has little time to get used to his new shadow, a three man video crew, before the show becomes a hit. Suddenly Ed's a cultural icon with fan clubs, stalkers, and imitators, but the media saturation has it's effects on his friends and family, who are now part of the program. Ed alienates his proud brother, Ray (Woody Harrelson), by falling in love with his girlfriend, Shari (Jenna Elfman). His estranged father Hank (Dennis Hopper) reappears after abandoning the family and creates tension between Ed and Ray's mother, Jeanette (Sally Kirkland) and her wheelchair-bound second husband, Al (Martin Landau). When Ed realizes the phenomenon has turned on him, he convinces Topping to stop the ordeal, but not her boss, Whitaker (Rob Reiner). To regain his life, Ed must find a way to cancel EDtv. ~ Ron Wells, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 2 hr. 2 min.
Directed By: Ron Howard
Written By: Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 26, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Aug 17, 1999
Studio: Universal Studios

Critic Reviews

Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
EdTV isn't bad enough to get angry about, but it's a mundane and toothless satire.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Jason O

When you read the overview of "EdTV," you might think that it's similar to "The Truman Show." But it's not, in my opinion, it's better. The difference is that in "EdTV," Matthew McConaughey volunteers to have his life broadcast on… More
When you read the overview of "EdTV," you might think that it's similar to "The Truman Show." But it's not, in my opinion, it's better. The difference is that in "EdTV," Matthew McConaughey volunteers to have his life broadcast on television 24 hours a day for the next month. After Ed gets with his brother's ex-girlfriend and the cameras get in the way of his life, he must find a way to get out of the camera's view. But that will be a lot easier said than done. Unlike you might expect it to be, "EdTV" is hilarious and it will keep you interested during the whole movie. The funniest part of the movie is when you find out how Ed will get his life off the television screen for good. If you like good comedy movies that have a great storyline, I recommend getting "EdTV" today. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. This is like a Truman Show ripoff (or was it vice versa?), but I don't care, I like this one better.
Red L

I guess this movie is OK. I can't imagine anybody suggesting that watching one person's life would make good TV, but of course, the movie presents us with the highpoints of Ed's life - his relationship with his girlfriend and family.
Corey W

[REVEIW COMING SOON]
Jason S

It ok. I liked the Truman Show better but this is a good commentary on the boom of reality tv that has flooded the airwaves for the last few years.
Curtis L

wow, could we want to be truman show any more?
Candy R

Reality TV story. Bit like the Truman Show.
Leigh R

It was good enough.
Dean M

Two thumbs up! Superb comedy about a regular guy become the star of a reality based TV show. Jenna Elfman and Ellen DeGeneres area really hilarous.
Aaron N

Diet Truman Show
Naughtia N

Matthew McConaughey stars as Ed, a young ordinary single guy. When a television network decides to make a reality show to follow a man's life, Ed gets chosen for the show. Ed likes the idea but his family and friends disagree with him. As time goes by he slowly realizes how much… More
Matthew McConaughey stars as Ed, a young ordinary single guy. When a television network decides to make a reality show to follow a man's life, Ed gets chosen for the show. Ed likes the idea but his family and friends disagree with him. As time goes by he slowly realizes how much this show effects his life. He has met the girl of his dreams and their relationship gets complicated because of all the cameras and people following him around. This movie was ok and fun to watch, it might have been a very good movie at the time it was released because people were really hyped on the new phenomena called 'reality tv', a term that has grown mainstream to this day.
Curt C

Surprisingly entertaining, and the concept aged well with the introduction of reality TV.
Sarah B

I think I preferred this to the Truman Show, it felt more real, more believable and had more engaging characters.
Jim W

I think this is probably Matthew McConaughey's best movie next to A Time to Kill. He's actually funny here and acts without flaunting his shirtless body. Although yes I think he may actually have a shirtless scene or two lol. I'm not sure if there's any of his… More
I think this is probably Matthew McConaughey's best movie next to A Time to Kill. He's actually funny here and acts without flaunting his shirtless body. Although yes I think he may actually have a shirtless scene or two lol. I'm not sure if there's any of his movies where he doesn't have his shirt off lol. Anyway the movie does at least require him to act and he's not bad here. The rest of the cast are very good as well. The movie was compared to Truman Show too much when it was released. Truman Show is about a guy who doesn't know his life is a reality show. EdTv is about a guy who volunteers to be in a reality show and it's also a lot less dramatic than Truman Show. Either way, both of them are still good though.
Lee K

i liked this one and it has a stellar cast as well, worth a rental
Leo L

Hilarious!
Chad R

The chicken dance is the best part of this movie! If I did the chicken dance I wouldn't do it like that!