In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Sunday 9 August 2015

TRUE STORY [2015]

Rupert Goold makes his directorial debut by casting funny guys James Franco & Jonah Hill in the dreary mystery drama, True Story.
Based upon disgraced reporter Mike Finkel's memoir of the same name, the film follows him as he meets with the incarcerated Christian Longo, who stole Finkel's identity after being accused of murdering his own wife and children.  Being unfamiliar with the real case really helps with building up the dramatic mystery of Longo's story, so I'm not sure how invested one would get if they already know how it all turns out.  Franco does a wonderful job at using his calm demeanor for a cold creepiness rather than stoner-comedies and Hill once again proves he's not just the funny fat guy but can actually carry a dramatic leading role.  Felicity Jones is a real gem and while sorely underused she still manages to make every scene she is in count.  It's not as bad as audiences seem to think it is but there's so much more this beautifully shot film could have expanded on to build it into a far more captivating story.

3 lies out of 5

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