The plot behind this most recent of Ron Howard comedies is, a reality TV cable channel takes an interest in Ed Pekurny, a video rental store clerk who lives like he's still in college. The channel decides to create EdTV, a 24 hour a day program where three cameras follow around Ed during his daily routine.

Well, EdTV starts off as a flop. That is until it comes out that Ed has a big crush on Shari, his brother Ray's girlfriend. She in turn has a thing for Ed. They end up together, and Ray despises them both for it.

Suddenly, EdTV is a reality TV hit, bigger than "Survivor." More conflict comes when Ed's biological loser father comes out of the woodwork, as well as the real reasons why his mother threw him out.

The picture takes place over about five or six weeks. I completely bought the program as something the new wave of reality TV would try. I liked how EdTV only lasted like a flash in the pan. That is far more believable than "The Truman Show," which wants us to believe this man in his thirties has been duped his entire life.

Matthew McConaughey (Sahara) makes the role of Ed loveable and real. His choices over his father issues and issues with Shari are dead on. Jenna Elfman (TV's Darma and Greg) is absolutely adorable as Shari.

Woody Harrelson (The People Vs Larry Flynt) adds to the humor of the show as Ed's obnoxious brother Ray. The rest of the cast is filled with an extremely heavy hitting cast including an Academy Award® winner in Martin Landau (Ed Wood), Oscar® nominees Sally Kirkland (Bruce Almighty) and Dennis Hopper (Hoosiers) as Ed's real father.

Also in the ensemble are comedy some-what greats Rob Reiner (Dickie Roberts), Elizabeth Hurley (Bedazzled), Adam Goldberg (Saving Private Ryan) and Ellen Degeneres (TV's Ellen).

Of course, since it is a Ron Howard directed movie, a cameo is made by his brother Clint Howard (The Waterboy) and that guy who played Ralph the Mouth from TV's "Happy Days."

The picture is also written by two of my favorite comedy writers, Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz (City Slickers, Heart and Souls). The last time they and director Howard has teamed up for a movie was "Gung Ho," one of my favorite comedies of the 1980's.

"EdTV" has a lot of great laughs, a lot of great well written characters and at many points, a lot of heart. Nothing about this movie felt forced. It was naturally well written, performed and directed; solid stuff. Rent "EdTV" if you're in the mood for a good, smart laugh. The DVD has a bunch of cool extras including some pretty funny outtakes.