**Spoiler Alert**
Director: Rupert Goold/Starring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Felicity Jones and Gretchen Mol
The inevitable comparisons to the film Capote and Truman Capote's book In Cold Blood will no doubt plague director Rupert Goold's True Story, which, like Capote's masterpiece, is based on fact. But unlike the aforementioned book, Goold's film is less compelling and can't forge an identity that would have us forget Capote's book or the film starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
The cast certainly shows up and is quite good. Jonah Hill, James Franco and Felicity Jones aren't merely along for the ride; they carry the film on their shoulders.
Based on former New York Times columnist Michael Finkel's memoir of the same name, True Story is the story of how the journalist became involved with the convicted murderer Christian Longo and how their literary relationship derailed in the process.
As we see in the film, Finkel (Jonah Hill) finds himself without a job and essentially a blacklisted journalist after an article he wrote for the New York Times was deemed fraudulent. Finkel was accused of attributing several interviews from multiple sources to a single interviewee. In spite of Finkel's reasonable defense of his act, he finds his editors and the journalistic community cannot overlook his ethical breach; his good intentions notwithstanding.
Finkel returns to his wife and home in Montana after being fired from his position. As he desperately tries to submit ideas for articles to the print media in an attempt to recover and maybe rehabilitate his soiled reputation, he finds no takers.
While Finkel contends with his diminished career status, he learns that a man named Christian Longo (James Franco), who is accused of murdering his own wife and kids, has been impersonating him. Intrigued by what a killer might be doing claiming to be a famous/infamous journalist, Finkel travels to the prison facility in Oregon to meet his impersonator.
As Finkel sits before the accused, he listens as Longo's explanation carries a whiff of adulation and flattery for the journalist, which isn't lost on Finkel. Finkel sees Longo's position as not much different than his own and becomes sympathetic. Longo insists he is innocent of his alleged crimes while Finkel believes he too has been judged harshly; by his journalist peers and the news media.
Finkel hits on the idea of writing a book about Longo's case, which he believes could help free the accused and restore his own reputation as a journalist. As Finkel secures a hefty advance for the book, Longo grants him exclusive access to his tragic story.
And as Finkel becomes wrapped up in the book, he sees his wife Jill (Felicity Jones) less and less. Though she knows her husband's book is meant to help exonerate Longo, she begins to see the accused for what he is: a master manipulator who won't accept his own guilt. Finkel, dazzled by the promise of literary success and career rehabilitation, driven by his belief in his subject's innocence and an empathetic regard for Longo's beleaguered state, refuses to believe what may most likely be the truth.
Much of the drama is propelled by the scenes of Finkel and Longo's conversations. Longo's insistence that he is innocent assumes plausibility in Franco's persuasive performance. Audiences may forget how terrific Franco can be in dramatic roles as he certainly is here. Hill has established himself as something more than a comedic actor. His deft performance demonstrates how a seasoned journalist like Finkel might be prey to a master manipulator. The two actors are quite good, as is Jones, though her character is unfortunately more peripheral.
As Longo begins to infiltrate Finkel's life in subtle, sinister ways, Jill finds her husband is becoming more more distant. She also finds herself being manipulated when she happens to speak to Longo on the phone one day when her husband is out. Later, in a face-to-face conversation in the prison facility, she lets Longo know in subtle terms that he is guilty as accused and she is not his psychological pawn.
Finkel's book deal begins to waver when Longo makes both a plea of innocence and guilt in an open court. Finkel is naturally infuriated as he wonders why Longo would jeopardize his own case and the book in pleading guilty to half of the murders.
The closer the film comes to the actual trial, the more suspect becomes Longo's claim of innocence. The film climaxes with Longo's trial, where his true nature becomes conspicuous and his spell on Finkel is dispelled.
As previously stated, the film, though based on true events, doesn't succeed in making the case riveting. Strong performances are a plus but I couldn't help but think that story/film suffered in comparison to Capote and as mentioned, Capote's book. We've seen it all before; the cunning con making a fool of the journalist. A true story shouldn't play as a cliche onscreen.
Even the idea of truth's relativism is hardly new.
The film should have been a fascinatingly dark, psychological melee but its ambitions remain stubbornly tethered to what is on the page.
This is Goold's first feature film. He shows some promise as a storyteller and may surprise us in the future with something more powerful. True Story isn't a bad film, just one that fails to launch.
