True Story
Starring Jonah Hill, James Franco
Directed by Rupert Goold
Truth is stranger than fiction in the psychological crime drama True Story.
The film spins the sordid tale of disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel (Hill), who discovers accused murderer Christian Longo (Franco) has taken on Finkel’s identity and meets with the mysterious man to get some answers.
The two strike up an unlikely rapport as Finkel becomes hungry for image redemption with the prospect of an exclusive story and possible book deal, while Longo’s intentions grow increasingly murky.
Based on Finkel’s own memoir, the movie would actually work more effectively in documentary form, as the results are eventually rather dramatically inconsequential, but it offers a chance for Hill and Franco to respectively showcase their serious sides.
Director Rupert Goold crafts the film with expert detail, meticulously staging some brilliant scenes, while Masanobu Takayanagi’s pristine cinematography captures the story’s utter bleakness.
In fact, True Story suffers from a little too much melodrama as interrogation scenes start to feel overly dreary.
For all its build up and mind games, the plot can’t quite carry the bulk of the cat and mouse game into a thrilling conclusion. but the character examination and sheer production value are enough to keep a compelling grasp on the audience’s attention.
True Story is an above average character study; what the film lacks in genuine thrills and tension it makes up for with two solid lead performances from normally comedic stars.
Hill and Franco’s scenes may become repetitive but there is no denying their compelling acting.
