Moments pages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.
- Every day Truman is shown buying glamour magazines, and at first the viewer isn't told what they're for, but he keeps claiming that it's for his wife. Eventually the audience learns that he's using the faces of models to assemble a picture of Sylvia, the girl he wanted to marry back when he was young.
- Made even better with the implication that he's going to go find her in the end. To be specific: Sylvia's overjoyed reaction to seeing Truman pull out the makeshift picture is a major Tears of Joy moment. Doubly so, since the last we see of Sylvia in the movie is her cheering when Truman escapes and running out of her house, implying that she's on her way to meet him at the massive structure that houses Seahaven.
- And on that note: "In case I don't see ya... good afternoon, good evening, and good night."
- Adding to this, in the scene where she calls into the interview, we see poster boards and signs demanding Truman be freed in the background of her apartment, showing that Sylvia hasn't been sitting around and watching the show, she's actively been trying to get him out, even after approximately twelve years and she knows he's married another woman.
- A Deconstruction of such moments occurs in the scene where Truman reunites with his father. It's clearly supposed to be one of these for the viewing audience, and we see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making this happen (music, camera angles, dialogue, etc). It works for most of the viewing audience, but then we see Sylvia watching in despair, and the effect is ruined as it becomes clear that it's just another cynical attempt to manipulate and control Truman and secure high ratings.
- Another in-universe example: Truman and Marlon are sitting on the bridge and Truman's talking about his fears and suspicions. Marlon tells him to trust him, that he would walk into moving traffic for him. All this time, Christof's feeding him those very, supposedly heartfelt, lines. (One of which is about how he would never lie to him.) In a meta-example within the in-universe example, Marlon pauses when he says that he would never lie to Truman. Proof outside of the deleted scenes that he does care.
- Crosses over a bit with Tear Jerker, but when Christof orders Simeon to use the weather system to capsize Truman's boat, Simeon is first shown visibly shaken while carrying out the order, and he outright refuses when Christof demands that he turn up the pressure and possibly kill him.
- A very subtle one but still heartwarming. When Truman is crossing the water to escape the studio city, the viewers are all cheering him on. After Truman leaves through the exit door, every fan shown is high fiving and congratulating Truman for leaving the city even though it means the show is over. It just shows that the viewers don't care about the show; they care about Truman.
- Which is also the reaction of viewers of the movie.
- There's also a small moment where Christof is trying to convince Truman to stay on the set, and while it's obvious he wants him to stay for the views, there is a small hint that he genuinely cares for Truman, saying how he watched him grow. He even strokes Truman's head through his monitor. He may be a sociopath whose love is toxic, but it is love all the same.
- When everyone is watching Truman in silent frozen anticipation, an old woman in the Truman Bar isn't watching the screen but looking down with her hands covering her face in sheer terror of what he might decide to do. When Truman exits through the door, she is crying and smiling and is hugged by the person next to her.
- A deleted scene of Marlon finding a disguised Truman during the big search for him... and pretending that he didn't.
- Here is the script of that scene:EXT. HARBORSIDE - DAYHowever, as he bypasses the entrance to a ticket box, hehasn't bargained on coming face to face with anotherstraggler from the search.MARLON. Truman freezes in front of his childhood companion —Marlon instantly seeing through Truman's homeless disguise.Truman glances nervously in the direction of the searchers.Their backs to the two men, they are beginning their nextsweep. One shout from Marlon will give Truman away — he isat Marlon's mercy.Without a word, Marlon walks past Truman and rejoins thesearch.Truman glances back to Marlon's retreating figure but Marlonnever looks back.
- Plus his attitude during the cast meeting. As the cast discusses Truman having children, Christof states his idea of making two channels, one following Truman, the other his hypothetical son. Marlon throws in this bitter rebuke:
- Here is the script of that scene:
