Plot
Selected from birth and officially adopted by a television studio following an unwanted pregnancy, Truman Burbank is the unsuspecting star of The Truman Show, a reality television program filmed 24/7 through thousands of hidden cameras and broadcast worldwide. Christof, the show's creator and executive producer, seeks to capture Truman's authentic emotions and give audiences a relatable everyman.
Truman's hometown, Seahaven Island, is a set inside an enormous dome visible from space, populated by crew members and actors who advertise products both to Truman and the audience to generate revenue for the show. The elaborate set allows Christof to control almost every aspect of Truman's life, including the weather. To prevent Truman from discovering the truth, Christof orchestrates scenarios that curtail his desire for exploration, such as the "death" of his father in a sea storm to instill thalassophobia, and constantly broadcasts messages about the dangers of traveling and the virtues of staying home.
During his college years, Truman, though originally written to fall in love with and marry fellow student Meryl, develops feelings for Sylvia, an extra. Although Sylvia is fired from the show before she can disclose the truth to Truman, he secretly continues to dream of a life with her outside of his marriage to Meryl and hopes to travel to Fiji, where he is led to believe Sylvia moved. In the real world, Sylvia joins "Free Truman", an activist group that aims to cancel the show and have Truman released.
As the show approaches its 30th anniversary, Truman begins noticing unusual occurrences around him, such as a spotlight falling from the sky, a column of rain falling only on him, a radio channel precisely describing his movements, and the reappearance of his father (who is rushed away by crew members before Truman can confront him). Truman begins questioning his life and realizes that the city somehow revolves around him.
One day, Truman takes Meryl on a surprise road trip, but increasingly implausible emergencies block their way, culminating in Truman suffering a nervous breakdown when a police officer who he does not know addresses him by name. At home, when Meryl attempts to advertise a product, Truman deduces that she is involved in the conspiracy and holds her at knifepoint, demanding answers; she breaks character to call for help and is taken off the show. Hoping to bring Truman back to a controllable state, Christof reintroduces his father properly under the guise of his having developed amnesia after the boating accident. The show regains its ratings, and Truman seems to return to his routines, though he begins sleeping in his basement. One night, Truman secretly disappears through a makeshift tunnel in his basement. Christof temporarily suspends the broadcast for the first time in its history, and record numbers tune in.
Christof orders a citywide search for Truman, soon forced to break the production's day-night cycle to optimize the search. Truman is discovered sailing away from Seahaven, having conquered his fear of water. Christof resumes the transmission and creates a violent storm in an attempt to capsize Truman's boat. Truman nearly drowns, but his spirit remains unbroken, and he continues to sail until his boat strikes the wall of the dome.
Initially horrified, Truman looks around and discovers a staircase leading to an exit door. As he contemplates leaving, Christof speaks to him directly through a speaker system, encouraging him to stay by claiming that there is no more truth in the real world than his artificial one, in which he has nothing to fear. After a moment of reflection, Truman utters his catchphrase: "In case I don't see you... good afternoon, good evening, and good night", bows to his audience, and exits. Viewers around the world celebrate Truman's escape, and Sylvia races to greet him. Christof's supervisors end the program with a shot of the open exit door as viewers decide to see what else is on television.
True Man.