This action sparks within him the dream of someday finding her, as well as his attempts to contact and travel to Fiji. Hundreds of extras populate the community in which Truman lives. All of them acting like friends, associates, loved ones and even lovers. Then there is the audience. Fans throughout the world follow Truman's activities with a fervor generally reserved for Star Trek fans.
Reality based shows are all the rage.
Jim Carrey puts forth a startling performance as Truman. While there is a certain amount of that behavior, in the context of the film, it is vital in creating the mood of a throwback to 1950's television. The supporting cast deserves kudos as well. In particular Ed Harris as Christof the creator of the program. The symbolism throughout the movie was very thick and very well done.