The ending is perfect

Rating: Null/10 (8 November 1999)

Warning: This comment deals with the ending of The Truman Show, so if you haven't seen it yet, don't read this comment.
It seems that many viewers dislike the ending because it does not show us what happens to Truman in the outside world. Also, viewers tend to criticize the fact that the movie does not reveal the emotions of Truman as he finds out the truth.
On the contrary, I believe that -- although the movie contains certain flaws -- the ending is perfect. By stopping as Truman leaves the set where the tv-show is recorded, the film brings across the simple and crucial point that as soon as Truman walks through the door, he escapes the cameras. Thus, whatever happens to Truman after he walks through the door, is no longer recorded by cameras and remains private to him. Whatever happens afterwards is no longer shared with millions of tv-viewers and, indeed, movie-viewers.
For similar reasons, the movie does not show us the emotions of Truman as he finds out the truth. Just as the cameras cannot follow Truman as he walks off the set, they cannot record his private thoughts and emotions. Indeed, Truman himself explains to the director of the tv-show that he cannot know what Truman feels, because he is unable to look inside his head. Truman does not WANT to share his emotions with the rest of the world. Therefore, he turns his back to the camera at this point, and neither the tv- nor the movie-viewer get to see his private emotional reaction.
In conclusion, it seems ironic to me that the ending of the movie has been criticised. Those who want to know what happens to Truman as he leaves the set of the tv-show and want to know what his emotional reaction is, are implicitly saying that Truman should not be allowed to escape the cameras. They want the movie or, in other words, the tv-show to continue. That is, those of you who criticise the ending of the Truman Show, are unknowingly endorsing the fictional tv show itself.
Just take a minute to think about that.