Have you ever had the feeling that someone is watching you, or that your life is just a farce? In the film The Truman Show, this feeling becomes a reality when Truman Burbank realizes that he lives within a massive TV set. With every part of his life on screen, Truman decides to break the system and escape this world he’s been trapped in. If you enjoy this sci-fi double-world movie, then try out these twelve movies like The Truman Show and open your mind to alternate worlds.
12. The Circle (2017)
The first movie on our list is called The Circle, and stars Emma Watson as Mae. When Mae is hired to work for the world’s most powerful tech company, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Encouraged by the company’s founder Eamon Bailey, she begins to work on a groundbreaking experiment that also pushes the boundaries of privacy and personal freedom. As Mae dives deeper into the experiment, she will impact the lives of her friends, family, and humanity.
–IMDb score: 5.4
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11. The Cable Guy (1996)
Sometimes your actions can come back to haunt you, and this is exactly what happens to Steven Kovak in The Cable Guy. Kicked out of his apartment by his girlfriend, Steven must get a new place and new internet. Slipping the cable guy, Chip, $50 to get free cable, Steven continues to feign interest in Chip’s line of work to get what he wants. Chip believes Steven’s feelings are real though, and when Steven no longer wants to be his friend Chip goes on a full-out rampage to ruin Steven’s life.
–IMDb score: 6.1
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10. EDtv (1999)
EDtv is probably the most similar to The Truman Show, but Ed knows he’s being filmed! In a last-ditch effort by a cable channel, they decide to document the life of someone to boost ratings. This someone is Ed, a laid-back video store clerk. While the show makes Ed a celebrity, it also negatively impacts his relationship with both his new girlfriend Shari, and his brother Ray.
–IMDb score: 6.1
9. Vanilla Sky (2001)
Told in alternating timelines, Tom Cruise stars in Vanilla Sky where a man accused of murder tries to figure out how he got to this point, and where his lover has gone. The New York City publishing magnate tries to explain what happened, but the truth blends with fiction until he no longer knows what’s real.
–IMDb score: 6.9
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8. The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
The Adjustment Bureau takes the idea of Fate and love and pins them against each other in a race to make the right choice. Politician David Norris is about to win a Senate seat when he meets ballerina Elise Sellas and becomes smitten with her. As he tries to be with her, mysterious men conspire to keep them apart and end up being agents of Fate. Glimpsing the future, David must figure out if he wants a predetermined life without Elise, or defy Fate to be with her.
–IMDb score: 7.0
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7. Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Instead of a TV show like The Truman Show, Stranger Than Fiction has the main character trapped in the plot of a novel. Harold Crick is an average I.R.S. Agent, but one day everything changes when Harold hears an author inside his head, narrating his whole life. The voice belongs to an esteemed author he saw on television, who later narrates that he is going to die. In a rush against time, Harold must find the author so she can change the story to save his life.
–IMDb score: 7.5
6. Pleasantville (1998)
David Wagner’s mind is stuck in the 1950s, centering around the classic 50s sitcom show Pleasantville. Pleasantville is a place where violence doesn’t exist, and all of the people are simple-minded and kind. One night David receives a magical remote from a repairman which zaps him into the show alongside his sister, due to fighting for the remote. David and Jennifer must now navigate a different world from their own in the journey to get back home.
–IMDb score: 7.5
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5. Dark City (1998)
One of the more science fiction-based films on the list, Dark City reveals a hidden world beneath a bustling city. John Murdoch has been accused of a series of brutal murders. While trying to piece together what happened, he stumbles upon an underground group called The Strangers who can put people to sleep and alter the city. Murdoch must now find a way to stop The Strangers before they take control of his own mind and destroy him.
–IMDb score: 7.6
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4. Being John Malkovich (1999)
Our fourth selection is a cult-classic comedy named Being John Malkovich. New York City puppeteer Craig Schwartz takes a job as a filing clerk for eccentric Dr. Lester. While working one day, Craig discovers a portal that leads him into the mind of actor John Malkovich. Craig lets his co-worker Maxine in on his secret, and the two create an unusual scheme that involves Craig’s wife Lotte.
–IMDb score: 7.7
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind explores both the intricacy of relationships and the pain of rejection through lead actors Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey. When Clementine (Winslet) goes through a tough breakup, she undergoes a procedure to erase memories of her former boyfriend Joel (Carrey). When Joel realizes what’s going on, he also undergoes the procedure to forget the woman he loves.
–IMDb score: 8.3
2. The Matrix (1999)
One of the most popular science-fiction movies ever is The Matrix, where Thomas Anderson is living two separate lives. During the day he is an average computer programmer, while at night he is a hacker known as Neo. When Neo finds himself targeted by the police he receives a message from Morpheus, a legendary hacker branded a terrorist. As Neo confronts the agents sent after him, he realizes that they are powerful computer programs designed to keeping humans in line, and that everything around him isn’t completely real.
–IMDb score: 8.7
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1. Inception (2010) / Movies Like The Truman Show
The final film on our movies like The Truman Show list is Inception, an incredible film directed by Christopher Nolan. Dom Cobb is a thief with the ability to enter people’s dreams and steal secrets from their subconsciousness. Cobb is a valuable asset to the world of corporate espionage, but it has cost him everything he loves. When he gets a chance at redemption, it comes with a high price – plant an idea in someone’s mind. If successful, Cobb will get away with the perfect crime, but in the shadows lurks a dangerous enemy following Cobb’s every move.
–IMDb score: 8.8
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