3.5/5 True Story In 2002, Christian Longo was captured in Quintana Room, after being put on the FBI’s Most Wanted List, for the alleged murder of his wife and three children. In custody, Longo was visited on a regular basis by a recently-disgraced New York Times reporter named Michael Finkel. After learning that Longo had been using his identity as an alias on the run, Finkel becomes somewhat infatuated by this suspected killer and agrees to tell his story. In a way, both men are hoping this book will clear their name. Is anything ever that simple? If it was, we would have a pretty lame movie on our hands. Thanks in large part to two engrossing performances, that is not the case. First-time feature director Rupert Goold, who has made his name directing stage plays, makes a good number of errors with True Story, but I give him a great amount of credit for the unorthodox manner in which he tells his story. With a story such as this, most directors would have shone their spotlight on Longo’s killings or Finkel’s journalistic dishonesty. Not this guy. Goold touches on those points just long enough for you to realize that they happened. This film is solely about the complex relationship between writer and prisoner. I am convinced that there is no better structure for this story. | Director: Rupert Goold Starring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Felicity Jones Writers: Rupert Goold, David Kajganich |
Without two phenomenal performances, though, this narrative choice would be for naught. At first, James Franco, who plays Longo, and Jonah Hill, who plays Finkel, seem like odd choices. Both actors have come to fame via stoner comedies, but we should not forget that they have both been nominated for Oscars - Franco for 127 Hours and Hill for Moneyball. Turns out, the two comic actors are more than prepared for the job. Both bringing their A-game, Franco and Hill dial back the more obvious dramatic tendencies of their character, instead focusing on the intricate ways in which Longo and Finkel quickly become emotionally intertwined.
With their attention on the emotions, it is actually quite hard sometimes to tell if either one of these men is guilty of their suspected wrongs - Longo’s being the far greater of the sins. In one small swoop, a layer of suspense and mystery has been added to the mix. That’s what great performances can do. It’s a good thing they were there, because this is where Goold begins to fail. For starters, he cast the wonderful Felicity Jones, an Oscar nominee in her own right, as Finkel's girlfriend and then gave her nothing to do. Also, he made the right move focusing on the conversations, but he does not have the feel for suspense. He almost is able to hide behind his leading men, but when the last frame fades away and we are given the “Where are they now” bit, his weaknesses are exposed. We are told a fact that is meant to shock and possibly harrow, but it feels false. Even if it is a true statement, it feels antithetical to the story we had just been told.
I am not saying the guy is a hack. For a stage director, he has a pretty impressive talent for composing shots. The opening shot, dominated by a falling teddy bear and a young girl crammed in a suitcase, is completely chilling and a brilliant stage setter. Rent or buy True Story for the performances and the stellar, small details like this.
[Available on iTunes]
With their attention on the emotions, it is actually quite hard sometimes to tell if either one of these men is guilty of their suspected wrongs - Longo’s being the far greater of the sins. In one small swoop, a layer of suspense and mystery has been added to the mix. That’s what great performances can do. It’s a good thing they were there, because this is where Goold begins to fail. For starters, he cast the wonderful Felicity Jones, an Oscar nominee in her own right, as Finkel's girlfriend and then gave her nothing to do. Also, he made the right move focusing on the conversations, but he does not have the feel for suspense. He almost is able to hide behind his leading men, but when the last frame fades away and we are given the “Where are they now” bit, his weaknesses are exposed. We are told a fact that is meant to shock and possibly harrow, but it feels false. Even if it is a true statement, it feels antithetical to the story we had just been told.
I am not saying the guy is a hack. For a stage director, he has a pretty impressive talent for composing shots. The opening shot, dominated by a falling teddy bear and a young girl crammed in a suitcase, is completely chilling and a brilliant stage setter. Rent or buy True Story for the performances and the stellar, small details like this.
[Available on iTunes]