True Story (2015)

When disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel meets accused killer Christian Longo - who has taken on Finkel's identity - his investigation morphs into a game of cat-and-mouse.

Director:

Rupert Goold

Writers:

Rupert Goold (screenplay by), David Kajganich (screenplay by)

Stars:

James Franco, Jonah Hill, Felicity Jones

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jonah Hill	...	Michael Finkel
James Franco	...	Christian Longo
Felicity Jones	...	Jill Barker
Maria Dizzia	...	MaryJane Longo
Ethan Suplee	...	Pat Frato
Conor Kikot	...	Zach Longo
Charlotte Driscoll	...	Sadie Longo
Stella Rae Payne	...	Madison Longo
Robert John Burke	...	Greg Ganley
Byron Jennings	...	Judge Odenkirk
Gretchen Mol	...	Karen Hannen
Betty Gilpin	...	Cheryl Frank
Seth Barrish	...	Blaise
Robert Stanton	...	Jeffrey Gregg
Michael Countryman	...	Coroner

Storyline

Jonah Hill plays Michael Finkel, a recently terminated New York Times journalist who's struggling for work after a story gone wrong. One day, he receives a phone call from a man regarding an FBI Most Wanted individual named Christian Longo, who's been captured and claimed to be living as Finkel. Longo and Finkel meet and form a potentially marriage shattering bond while Longo is in prison awaiting his trial. Finkel exchanges journalism tips for the real events behind Longo's alleged heinous acts of murdering his family. Through the twists and turns in the movie, only at the end will Finkel uncover the True Story.

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Plot Keywords:

journalist | murder trial | prison visit | discredited reporter | investigative journalism | 

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Taglines:

Some stories are beyond belief

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some disturbing material

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Ibo

Release Date:

17 April 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

A História Verdadeira

Filming Locations:

Warwick, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,930,000, 19 April 2015, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$4,715,819, 31 May 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures, Plan B Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby Surround 7.1 Datasat Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The fingerprint pattern on the movie poster is actually made up of the word "LIES" repeated over and over.

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Goofs

In his Montana home in 2002 Mike Finkel has an iMac with aluminum body. This design was not available until 2007. Also he is using a Macbook no older than a 2008 model.

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Quotes

Christian Longo: I haven't seen a woman in so long... looking at you is like seeing the ocean.
Jill Barker: I'm more of a pond, I think.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Savannah Guthrie and Matt Lauer/Felicity Jones/FKA Twigs (2014)

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Soundtracks

Se La Mia Morte Brami
Written by Carlo Gesualdo
Performed by Delitiae Musicae
Conducted by Marco Longhini
Courtesy of Naxos
By arrangement with Source/Q

User Reviews

Slightly more impressed than I thought I be.

I did not see that coming. James Franco and Jonah Hill together in a movie that is not a comedy.

Sure, out of the hilarious cast of This is the End, it would make the most since that these two would do drama, but still, I went into this movie expecting it to be a laughable mess, but was really amazed how well done it was.

You got to get over the fact that it's Franco and Hill. Individually the two of them doing drama is a lot easier to swallow, especially Jonah with things like Money Ball and Wolf of Wall Street on his resume. You can take it serious when the two are apart, but together you're expecting comedy.

What's interesting about True Story is that Hill and Franco are playing the archetypes that you'd expect from them, and because of this, the movie could have easily worked as a comedy. It was Hill and Franco doing what you seen them do a million times in comedies but doing it in a drama piece. It does not make the movie better (it may have done better if they made it a comedy), but it made the movie more interesting.

Both men did a fine job with the material, it was well acted by everyone involved. I would recommend giving it a shot.