* AccidentalAesop: If someone you know is having a breakdown, don't belittle their feelings or put your material needs above them, or you'll make their problems worse and drive them out of your life. Meryl choosing to do ProductPlacement in the middle of a serious conversation finally destroys her "relationship" with Truman. If Meryl had chosen to put Truman's mental health above the program's needs, or at least ''pretended to,'' she could've convinced him to stay in Seahaven.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** Is Louis/Marlon just another one of Truman's captors, or does he -- in stark contrast to his fellow actors -- genuinely care about Truman and want to help him? While the movie provides little in the way of background for Louis and sheds no light on his motivations, his [[WordOfSaintPaul actor has suggested]] that Louis is deeply conflicted about what he's being asked to do and, as a result, suffers from substance abuse issues. Deleted scenes that show Louis reacting with slight bitterness to Christof's proposals for a 'spin-off' focusing on Truman's child ("[[ArmorPiercingQuestion So when Truman dies, we go back to the single-channel format, right?]]") and looking the other way for Truman after stumbling across him during his escape muddies the water further.
** In the scene in which Truman is baring his heart to Marlon on the bridge and he begins to cry, is he crying at the words of support Marlon is telling him, or is he crying because he's already seen through the charade and now he knows that even his best friend is in on it?
** There's a theory going around that Simeon (the TV engineer played by Creator/PaulGiamatti) is a deep-cover [[TheMole mole]] for the Free Truman Movement, and that he purposely did the things that made Truman start questioning his reality (the light falling, the rain mishap, the wonky radio transmission, the actor of his father managing to sneak on set and appear before Truman) so Truman could figure out what was going on and leave by his own free will. The fact that Simeon was goofing off in the Director's chair reading a newspaper before Christof came in at the start of the third act under the guise of letting his apprentice get some hands-on experience with the cameras and [[spoiler: he didn't wake up Christof to tell him that Truman now was sleeping in the basement despite his direct orders to tell him immediately of unpredictable behavior]] adds to the theory.
*** The newspaper Simeon reads is open to the classified ads, and he's in the middle of teaching another employee how to operate the cameras, one of Simeon's normal tasks. Was he looking for a job because he's morally conflicted with the show?
** Christof refuses to show Truman using the bathroom or having sex. Is this because he thinks Truman deserves at least ''some'' degree of privacy? Or is it because he's afraid showing him doing those things might get him in trouble with standards and practices?
** Meryl's awkward product placement during Truman's breakdown, which only bewilders him more. Did she do it because she was forced to do it, however inappropriate (it was in the script and/or required by the sponsor), was she panicking so she fell back on what she did best, or both?
** When Truman started crying upon seeing the dome: is it because his life being artificial is now one hundred percent confirmed? Is it because he realized ''everything'' was a lie, even down to the sky? Or is it simply because he thinks he won't be able to escape the dome?
** Truman's final "good afternoon, good evening, and good night"—is it an IronicEcho addressed to Christof, or is it more of a MeaningfulEcho, ignoring Christof and addressing the audience?
* AngstWhatAngst: Truman spends much of the movie impacted by aquaphobia. [[spoiler: In the third act, his last attempted escape is on a sailboat, over the "ocean." Truman got awfully brave pretty quick, given that this movie ostensibly takes place over the course of several days. Possibly justified, since by that point he'd seen through the charade and decided it was his only way out and the lesser of two evils. This is also after he'd realized that his "father's" death by drowning (the source of his fear) was faked.]]
* AwardSnub: After winning a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe for this film, it was assumed that Creator/JimCarrey would at least get an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination, but he didn't. Amazingly, it happened again ''[[Film/ManOnTheMoon the very next year]]''. Just to put the former snub in perspective, winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama is a virtual guarantee of an Oscar ''nomination'' at the very least. Carrey was only the fourth man it didn't happen for, and the last time it happened prior to him was in ''1965''. He was also the last such snubee, indicating that the Academy really just didn't want to nominate him. Between these snubs, and two to follow -- for ''Man on the Moon'' the '''very next year''' and ''Film/EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind'' (which ''was'' nominated for Best Actress for Kate Winslet even as his role is of equal importance) a few years after that, poor Carrey has become an almost archetypal example of a comedic actor who cannot get credit for his dramatic abilities. Adding insult to injury, the 1998 Best Actor Oscar winner was Roberto Benigni -- an actor primarily known for broad comedies -- for the {{Dramedy}} ''Film/LifeIsBeautiful'', generally seen as one of the Oscars' bigger mistakes in hindsight.
** The film itself was one of the most acclaimed of 1998, yet failed to receive a Best Picture nom, despite getting nods for Peter Weir's direction and for the script.
** Some see Creator/EdHarris' Best Supporting Actor loss as this, although losing to the great Creator/JamesCoburn softens the blow.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BurPbuLLH74 Father Kolbe's Preaching]] is a particularly good one.
** Then there's the use of "[[https://youtu.be/g-EHT3N5sOI Anthem]]" from ''[[Film/{{Koyaanisqatsi}} Powaqqatsi]]'' and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYGu8ap1FvI Opening]]" from ''Film/MishimaALifeInFourChapters''.
* EsotericHappyEnding: [[spoiler:Truman leaves and gets to see the real world, but since his teachers and bosses were all actors, he has no actual education nor real job experience -- so getting money for his dreams is still going to be a problem.[[note]]Granted, some media giant would probably pay Truman a lot of money to act as their spokesperson and he certainly has a legal case to make against the show that could be quite lucrative[[/note]] There's also the fact he'll have no real friends or family (save for Sylvia), and as pointed out in the film, the real world can be cruel at times. But regardless, he's already shown bravery and daring, and even if his new life is at his throat, he's bound to create a ''real'' happy ending of his own someday, [[TropesAreTools which ties into the film's themes.]]]]
* FanPreferredCutContent:
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EynCFAF8Q2Q This scene]], in which Christof hold a briefing for the actors, explaining why the network wants Truman to have a kid: they want to make that kid part of the Truman Show, with a two-channel format to chronicle both their lives. It features a very redeeming moment with Louis/Marlon who, with quiet disgust, asks Christof if they [[ArmorPiercingQuestion are going to go back to a one channel format when Truman dies]]. Christof briefly hesitates, and then deliberately doesn't answer Louis' question as he adjourns the meeting.
** Another deleted scene which shows [[spoiler: Marlon recognizing a disguised Truman and allowing him to escape, since it would've proven that ''someone'' genuinely cared for Truman]].
* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Jim Carrey (Truman) and Noah Emmerich (Louis/Marlon) met on the set of this film and went on to become good friends in RealLife -- just like their characters. In fact, [[https://twitter.com/jimcarrey/status/295608068669050881 Carrey has even called Emmerich his best friend]]. What makes this extra heartwarming is that Emmerich's character was the only actor on the show (other than Lauren/Sylvia) who ''did'' genuinely come to care for Truman -- their friendship was one of the few things in Seahaven that ''was'' real.
* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: Jim Carrey really spread his wings as an actor here and showed he could do more than just "zany" roles. In fact, Creator/GeneSiskel and Creator/RogerEbert publicly apologized to Carrey on their show for saying that he would never have a career when ''Film/AceVenturaPetDetective'' was panned, although the latter had already turned the corner regarding Carrey with positive reviews for ''Film/TheMask'' and ''Film/LiarLiar''.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** Truman's first love, Lauren (a.k.a. Sylvia) is removed from the show when she tries to reveal the BrokenMasquerade. Just before the footage of the event is played, one of the waitresses in the Truman-themed bar quips "They got rid of her, but they couldn't [[Film/EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind erase the memory]]."
** While it satirized reality television right before the television market got saturated with it, ''Series/TheJoeSchmoShow'' in particular uses the same exact concept that the movie was making fun of.
** The messianic allegories in the film are a lot funnier when you consider ''Film/BruceAlmighty''.
** This is a late 1990s movie about a guy living a seemingly normal life, [[TrumanShowPlot which all turns out to be a convoluted illusion]]. Guess what [[Film/TheMatrix action movie with a sort-of similar premise]] came out the next year?
** Creator/JimCarrey's next starring vehicle, the Creator/AndyKaufman biopic ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'', is effectively an inversion of this movie in that it's about a media-savvy performer concocting elaborate fictions in the real world to leave everybody else questioning what he is and what he's up to. It could even be seen as a tweaked sequel in which Truman becomes a more benevolent, trickster version of Christof (the ''Pop of the Morning'' podcast discusses the similarities and differences between Kaufman and Christof). Indeed, one would think an early scene that depicts 8-year-old Kaufman believing there's a camera in his bedroom wall is a shout out to this film, but it's actually a real life detail! On top of that, Creator/PaulGiamatti, who plays one of Christof's underlings, plays Kaufman's co-conspirator Bob Zmuda in ''Man on the Moon''.
* JerkassWoobie: Meryl, Truman's wife. True, she's in on the secret and keeps deceiving Truman even when it's clear she's on the verge of a breakdown, but when you consider her StepfordSmiler personality, her backstory detailed in the script (she took the job so she wouldn't lose her acting career altogether, being a FormerChildStar), and the fact that her job involves living with, being married to, and having sex with a man she doesn't love (and who doesn't love her, as everyone's aware that he pines for Sylvia, to the point of creating a collage of her on the back of a photo of Meryl), it's hard not to feel a little sorry for her. Not to mention, she's so clearly ''terrified'' when Truman threatens her in the kitchen, and breaks down sobbing when Marlon shows up to rescue her.
* JerksAreWorseThanVillains: The biggest villain is Christof, since he's the creator of ''The Truman Show'' and the main manipulator of Truman's life, but he's also a [[EvilIsCool cool]], interesting and enigmatic character, and has some AntiVillain trais. On the other hand, Truman's "parents" and his wife "Meryl" just come off as unlikable and uncaring people who only use Truman for their careers. Sans deleted scenes, Louis/Marlon isn't much better, taunting Truman as he makes his final escape. "Meryl" gets this treatment the most, due to her blatant BitchInSheepsClothing obnoxiousness and having many scenes with Truman.
* LesYay: Those two older ladies cuddled up on the couch watching The Truman Show all day. Adorable. If the film had been made a couple of decades later, the natural interpretation would be that they ''are'' a lesbian couple. In 1998, however, it was rare for a mainstream Hollywood movie to casually show a gay couple, and so we have to assume the nature of their relationship to be ambiguous at best.
* LoveToHate:
** Meryl, mainly due to her feigning her relationship with Truman (even if she is just doing her job). It's part of why the whole "I'm being spontaneous" and "do something!" scenes are so satisfying to watch.
** Christof, who may be reprehensible, but many still find him an example of EvilIsCool due to how effectively creepy he is.
* MemeticMutation: Truman's "What the hell are you talking about?" in response to his wife's blatant ProductPlacement about cocoa is a popular GIF on message boards. It got further resurgence thanks to ''Series/{{Ozark}}'', where Creator/LauraLinney plays an unhinged sociopath similar to Meryl, constantly feigning real emotions.
* MisaimedFandom:
** The rise of RealityTV means a '''lot''' of TV executives walked out of the theaters and thought that it was a good idea. (Ultimately a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] as most RealityShow stars know they are on TV.)
** {{Conspiracy theorist}}s. The film matches their worldview, making it easy to relate to Truman -- he spots errors with the official story, realizes everybody in the world is actually hiding the truth and/or plotting against him, [[spoiler:before discovering and beating a shadowy figure pulling all the strings behind the scenes]]. As such, some take the film's small-scale, poorly kept-together conspiracy as evidence their own, world-wide theory has to be correct because they, like Truman, "woke up" and saw past the illusion.
* MoralEventHorizon: Depending on who you ask, Christof had his when he had the idea for the show, when he faked the death of Truman's father in order to give the poor kid a crippling phobia about water, or when he [[spoiler:capsized his boat and tried to drown him]]. One line stands out as particularly cold:
-->'''Producer:''' For God's sake, Chris! The whole world is watching. We can't have him die in front of a live audience!\\
'''Christof:''' He was '''born''' in front of a live audience.
%%* NotSoCrazyAnymore: The entire plot.
* NotSoCrazyAnymore: The entire premise. Let's just say that the idea of an ordinary person's life being broadcasted all over the world without their permission all for profit, and entertainment is no longer as absurd as it once was and is unfortunately now reality for some people.
* OlderThanTheyThink: Believe it or not, the plot has its precursors, such as the ''Series/AmazingStories'' episode "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq78vP1Yvho Secret Cinema]]" (which itself was a remake of a 1966 short film by the same writer-director, and became the basis for a lawsuit against this film) and ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'' episode "Special Service".
* OneSceneWonder: The fake bus driver. Out of all the extras, he seems to be the only one who shows genuine pity and remorse for denying Truman access to the outside world.
* ParanoiaFuel:
** The entire film is rife with this, particularly bad is when we see Truman's best friend, someone he has known since school, manipulating him and being fed lines by the director. Then there's the part where he's looking for Truman and has childish "hide-and-seek" lines delivered in sinister fashion.
** More broadly, the fact that if you've seen this movie, you ''will'' wonder if your life could be a similar scenario for at least a passing moment, here and there.
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truman_Show_delusion The Truman Show delusion]] is a documented psychiatric condition, often afflicting those with schizophrenia. It is so-called because many who report the delusion specifically relate their lives to the film. This is different from gangstalking, where people think someone is monitoring their lives on hidden cameras.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/PaulGiamatti as one of the studio techs. [[Series/SixFeetUnder Peter Krause]] is Truman's boss. [[Series/BrooklynNineNine Joel McKinnon Miller]] is a security guard and one of the show's avid viewers. Fans of ''Series/TheAmericans'' will recognize a young Noah Emmerich as Truman's best friend Marlon.
%% * TheScrappy: Aside from Marlon (if deleted scenes are taken into account) and [[EvilIsCool Christof]], '''everyone''' in the fictional town. The fact that they don't care for him ''at all'' and seem to focus more on [[MoneyDearBoy the fact they get paid]] and pretend to simply care for Truman and his well being really does bother some viewers. His "parents" seem to be a big example of this, as does "Meryl".
* SongAssociation: People who saw the film's trailer in heavy rotation might never be able to listen to Music/TalkingHeads' "Music/OnceInALifetime" without thinking of Truman's meticulously controlled artificial life. Hell, any film with comedic yet existentialist tones and themes have done so too, from ''Film/{{W}}'', to ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'', to ''Film/{{Downsizing}}''.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter:
** Sylvia is (as far as we know) the only person who has a problem with what Christof is doing to Truman. This gives her a unique relationship to Truman (given that apparently no one else is like this) with a lot of material for a great character, but she hardly has a presence in the film.
** Walter, the actor playing Truman's father, managed to sneak onto the set. How he managed to get past the omnipresent security isn't shown[[note]]He could've done this with the help of the Free Truman activists[[/note]]. And instead of being written as a [[TheAtoner remorseful man]] who [[BecomingTheMask has come to care for his]] [=TV=] son, he is instead written as a man who wants fame and money back.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Sylvia's apartment shows hints that there are activist groups in existence that want to free Truman. While the normal viewers are happy to see him escape, any actual activist groups trying to free him, maybe even infiltrating the show as part of this, are never brought up beyond the Sylvia scene and a montage of times various walk-ons have attempted to break the illusion for Truman during his life.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The audience is at least meant to feel some of Meryl's fear when Truman threatens her with a knife, but her gaslighting Truman beforehand and her only caring about "unprofessional working conditions" hinders the viewer to sympathize with her even when her life is in danger.
* ValuesResonance:
** There was a time when this movie's premise seemed outlandish. Now, with webcams and RealityTV, the degrading definitions of personal privacy, concurrently increasing concerns about online oversharing and parasocial relationships, and the commodification of personal data for marketing purposes, [[NotSoCrazyAnymore it seems much more plausible]].
** Truman's "wife" and "mom" are constantly pressuring him to have a kid, which Truman is reluctant to do since he realizes his marriage isn't working out. Nowadays, with rising living costs, many people are more inclined to side with Truman.
** The internet brought the rise of parent blogs and family vloggers, which have drawn controversy for a number of reasons--namely that successful family-oriented Website/YouTube channels can make a ''lot'' of money, usually because of audiences [[JustHereForGodzilla drawn in by the kids]], but unlike child actors, there are no laws in place to ensure the kids will ever see a dime of the money they helped earn. There's also a lot of concern about how a kid being on camera for millions to see throughout their whole childhood can negatively affect their mental health, especially in the cases of more unscrupulous parents who film private, often embarrassing moments, and how being filmed so much can make kids open to predators and exploitation. All of these concerns are illustrated and explored throughout the movie; despite predating the concept by about a decade, ''The Truman Show'' is essentially a family channel taken to the most logical extreme. There have even been accusations of some family vloggers manufacturing or faking major life events and emergencies to get an audience's attention, just like Christof does. All this makes the message about everyone's right to privacy and to be their own person feel even more relevant.
* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: Though in a different way than you'd normally expect. ''Truman'' is essentially an effects-less film, but dozens of little touches exist throughout, most notably the subtle altering of a skyline to make it match the Geodome's shape. Everything looks so ''right'' that you wouldn't notice it until you were looking for it... just as happens to Truman in-universe!
* TheWoobie: Truman. By the end, he's an IronWoobie.
** It's hard not to feel bad for Louis Coltrane/Marlon, especially if you've seen the deleted scenes and are familiar with his backstory. Coltrane was a child actor barely old enough to go to school when he was cast as Truman's best friend (one suspects he didn't know what he was in for), and he's had to be in on this lie for almost his entire life. Not to mention that according to his actor the reason why his character is an alcoholic and has been in and out of rehab is because of the immense guilt he feels whenever he lies to Truman. Worse, he's also trapped in being used to sponsor beer products and as a result he's an addict unable to break out of his cycle of addiction.
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