by Jon Partridge
True Story is, as the title suggests, an adaptation of real life events, retelling the cat and mouse game between New York Times reporter Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) and a convicted murderer Christian Longo (James Franco), who is awaiting his sentencing on death row after being caught using Finkel’s identity to evade capture.
Finkel is dealing with the fallout from spinning his own web of lies, having lost his journalistic appointment after being found guilty of fabricating the subject of a cover story on child slavery in Africa. Seeing something of a chance to reignite his career as well as pursue personal curiosity over his lost identity, he seeks to interview and write a book about Longo’s unspeakable acts, including the murder of his own wife and three children.
True Story primarily revolves around these two figures sparring, each guilty of their own deceit, each looking to gain something from the exchange. For Finkel it is a redemption, although this is entwined with a rather self-serving arrogance. For Longo, the motives are less clear. While attempts are made to try and feign innocence and use Finkel to clear his name, there is a manipulative game in his mind.
Rupert Goold in his debut as a director has put together a perfunctory affair, the only real standout being the performances of Hill and Franco. Felicity Jones appears as Finkel’s girlfriend, but this feels like something tacked onto the main plot to pad things out rather then being a fully realized character, which is a disservice to the film and her talents. The intention of the film to explore identity never really materializes, and the deepening relationship and understanding between the two characters is inert largely due to stilted dialogue.
Sometimes, two talents conversing can be enough, with smart dialogue, intellectual sparring, and twisting of perception. Franco and Hill are hard to fault in their work, and there is much to appreciate in their performances. The problem is that the script gives them little of real depth to work with. The relationship never develops into anything really complex or intriguing, the narrative unable to develop any real tension and becoming progressively more muddled.
THE PACKAGE
With so much of the film taking place within a prison cell you’d expect a rather drab affair and the visuals reflect this. The transfer itself comes across as rather muted and more reminiscent of a TV release rather than a theatrical production. Colors are somewhat subdued and details, notably exteriors, lack definition.
Special features include a number of deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by director Rupert Goold. He also contributes to a commentary for the entire feature. There is a gallery (pointless) and a theatrical trailer (expected), and a number of very short featurettes entitled Mike Finkel, Who is Christian Longo? The Truth Behind ‘True Story,’ and The Making of ‘True Story.’ The one centered on Longo himself barely scratches the surface and leaves you craving better historical context which these special features could and probably should have provided.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Franco and Hill offer up solid work in True Story, but the film as a whole fails to impress. A plodding and muddled affair that fails to craft the depth the story and exchanges between these two men needs.
True Story is available on Blu-ray from August 4th.