Parents' Guide to

True Story

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Gripping, disturbing drama based on real murders.

Movie R 2015 100 minutes
True Story Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

Jry
Jry Parent
September 12, 2015
age 13+

Safe to view but might not hold their attention

After reading other reviews and the synopsis we opted not to let our 13 year old son watch this with us. Yes the events this movie is about are disturbing but I didn't think it was any worse than what he can watch on cable TV. There was one scene in the courtroom where you quickly see photos of the deceased children but they weren't as graphic as we were led to believe, just face shots. In the end I felt he could of watched this movie with us.....I think he would of lost interest halfway through but it kept us entertained.
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What's the Story?

In 2001, journalist Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) was ousted from the New York Times after editors discovered he'd mixed up sources and their stories in an article about child slaves in Africa. Dejected and defeated, Finkel retreats to Montana, where he and his girlfriend, Jill (Felicity Jones), live together, to figure out what his next steps should be. As it turns out, his future comes to him in the form of a message from another journalist, who informs him that Christian Longo (James Franco), a man accused of killing his wife and their three kids, was just apprehended in Mexico and found to be impersonating Finkel. Curious and conflicted, Finkel meets Longo, and so begins a strange friendship that leads the journalist to write a book and -- more importantly -- to examine his own beliefs about truth and redemption.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (5):

This film benefits greatly from efficient storytelling and taut editing. Based on the same-named book by Finkel, TRUE STORY also works thanks to the two leads, Hill and Franco, who go toe to toe in a film that's mostly compelling. But here's the problem: Viewers are brought on a journey that has Finkel seemingly buying into Longo's story, but they're not likely to be as on the fence as Finkel is. Though the movie tries to seed a hint of doubt about the cops' version of events to heighten tension, it's not an easy sell. (How can a reporter this astute be so seemingly willing to believe Longo's story?) And the scenes in which Jill mentally and verbally tussles with Longo fall short of believability, too. Their "confrontations" seem stagey, with Jones woefully underused in her supporting role. The one-on-ones between Hill and Franco may be some of the best parts of the movie, but they're not quite enough to sustain its momentum.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how True Story handles the murders: Do you think the detailed accounts are necessary to the story? How does a filmmaker handle material like this?

  • What connects Finkel and Longo? Is Finkel taking advantage of a tragedy to seek redemption, or is he being a good reporter and following a story?

  • Does Finkel retain an objectivity throughout his communications with Longo? Is that important?

  • Is a story like this less upsetting because you don't see much of the violence actually taking place, or does the aftermath have just as much impact?

Movie Details

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