True Story, 2015.
Directed by Rupert Goold.
Starring James Franco, Jonah Hill, Felicity Jones and Ethan Suplee.
SYNOPSIS:
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.
In his feature film debut, Rupert Goold has chosen to tackle the story of Christian Longo, a man convicted of killing his entire family in December 2001. His taught thriller True Story depicts his relationship with disgraced journalist Mike Finkel. The subject matter is dark and heavy and Goold has created an intense cat and mouse thriller.
In his third “serious” role, Jonah Hill plays Mike Finkel. A character that whilst interesting is almost impossible to route for as he ignores his partner, takes liberties with the truth and gets taken easily under Longo’s spell. Whilst Hill provides a good performance, his casting feels slightly out of place with the dark subject. Hill has proven before that he can take on meatier material, but in True Story he lacks a sense of intensity and engagement with the material.
This film is entirely James Franco’s show as killer Christian Longo. He provides a truly unnerving performance, constantly making you question his innocence and his real motivations for meeting with Finkel. From a slight facial expression through to the more intimidating moments, he plays Longo with such a sense of humanity that it’s unnerving to watch. At times you feel sympathy for him and there are moments where you come round to his way of thinking. This is where the film is at its strongest. The cat and mouse game may have an obvious conclusion (even for those unfamiliar with the real case) but it’s an intense film to watch. From their initial meeting through to the courtroom and the slow revelation of the facts, True Story is a gripping and intriguing film to watch. At a brisk 99 minutes the film condenses a lot of information which is only a slight detriment.
True Story’s biggest weakness lies in the supporting characters. Felicity Jones as Finkel’s partner Jill is completely underused. She only has one truly significant scene within the film and the rest of the time she wanders through her empty home in Montana staring ominously at papers. The usually solid Jones looks half asleep throughout and her accent constantly shifts between English and American.
Whilst focusing on the central relationship between Finkel and Longo is the crux of the story, it would have been interesting to see the other characters given more depth. We have a stereotypical Prosecutor, crying family members, a coroner struggling with his role at the trial and so on.
True Story isn’t a perfect film, but Franco’s intense performance as Longo is one of the most unnerving that I’ve seen in a long time. Immediately going home after the cinema to look up the facts of the actual case, True Story is a wonderfully twisted and disturbing thriller about innocence and guilt that keeps you gripped throughout.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Helen Murdoch is a freelance writer – Follow me on Twitter
https://youtu.be/IWWtOQOZSTI?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng
Originally published July 22, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
