EDtv (1999) review

Cynthia Reed (Ellen DeGeneres), a producer for the struggling True TV channel, brainstorms an idea in which the network would follow an individual and record his/her everyday life, so they select genteel video store clerk Ed (Matthew McConaughey) as their subject - at first, it's a dud, but then it turns out Ed and his family are quite screwy: he's in love with UPS driver Shari (Jenna Elfman) who's in a relationship with his brother Ray (Woody Harrelson), his estranged father Hank (Dennis Hopper) reappears and then Ed starts dating English model Jill (Elizabeth Hurley).  McConaughey is a very capable lead but this is essentially a One Man Sitcom with a concept that loses whatever appeal it might have had around half-way through - Ed adjusts fairly easily to the ever-present cameras while they rightly bother most others, especially Shari.  It does predate the social media era so it has that in its favor, yet it doesn't say much on the topic except that (a.) fame leads to a lack of privacy and (b.) all "reality television" is dictated by writers and producers who tug on the proverbial strings.  Pairing up McConaughey and Harrelson is inspired, although I'd like to reference a joke by Zach Galifianakis: when they're in a scene together, are they sad there's a sack not being hackied?