StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

jmrecillas-83435 True story it's not a great film, since it's based on a true story about a reporter whose identity is stolen by a killer, and when he is get in touch with the murder starts a strange relationship in order to write a book about the crimes of his new and strange pal. The result is a book that names as the film: True story. As a movie storytelling, "True story" has no surprises, except the presence of James Franco and Jonah Hill, to whom many can relate more with dumb comedy that with a serious film about killers. The movie is quite plane, since there are no flashbacks or surprising twists that you can never imagine. What it makes so compelling is the acting. At first, Jonah Hill embodies a normal character, New York Times reporter Michael Finkel, who is in to an ordeal and a personal crisis when he faces Christian Longo, embodied by Franco, a killer arrested in Cancun, Mexico, deported to the US in order to be judged. Longo's character is first presented as a naive man who seems not to kill even a fly, but his evil character is gradually unfolded by a masterful James Franco impersonification, and in the end, that naive character of the beginning turns to be a real demon, and James Franco delivers a hell of a performing on the construction of such a character. Its so impressive what he does on screen that when you realize the very soul of the killer you are complete forget that you are no longer watching a comedy actor but a SERIOUS actor. This is a masterclass on acting. And that is what makes this film so unexpected. This film is all about acting, not about the script or any other circumstances. It's probably that many think that Franco as the killer its gonna be a poor and comic rendition of his character. NFW. This is one of his most impressive performances that leave you with such a horror felling inside that you can't believe the tour de force he is delivering on here. Acting on here is everything. The eveil on Longo's character remember other similar crime portrayal's such Hannibal Lecter or John Doe's Seven.Acting: 10 Filming: 5

Hitchcoc This film has been maligned by some for being too slow moving and having an unsatisfying ending. This is a common rant by some. This is a very well presented portrayal of a relationship between two men who are more alike than different. Michael Finkel is a disgraced reporter. He gets fired from the New York Times for shortcutting a story. His reputation is pretty much shot until he gets a call from a man, Christian Longo, who has been accused of murdering his wife had his three children. A bond develops between them and Finkel, but is this man a truth teller or pathological liar and murderer. This is what Finkel must sort out. In the process, an obsession occurs, where he investigates to the exclusion of everything else. The acting is superb and the story easily holds one's interest to the bitter end. I believe that getting there is twice the fun and if the conclusion didn't satisfy people, I feel they missed out on something pretty unique.

LeonLouisRicci There's No Denying the Truth, that this is an Unnerving Story. A Real-Life Wife and Child Murder Case where Christian Longo is Arrested and put on Trial for the Grisly and Sensational Crimes.The Film Maintains an Eerie Atmosphere of Ambiguity and Anguish in the form of a Disgraced Journalist (Jonah Hill) named Mike Finkle and the Accused Longo (James Franco). Longo uses the Name of the Reporter as a Fake Identity and Therein lies the Plot. Finkle Sensing a Rebound in the form of a "True Story" Story, Decides to Meet with the Prisoner in Prison.The Over-Familiarity of James Franco on Screen is once again a Hindrance to Accepting Him as Anyone but James Franco. So Playing a Complex Character who may be a Psycho-Socio Cold Blooded Killer who may or may not be Telling the Truth, is a Challenge for the Audience to Separate the Goofy Franco and buy Him as Christian Longo.Clarity is Never a Thing in This Thing and while a Certain Amount of Mystery is Required it Ends Up being a Muddle at Times. There are Moments of Uncertainty that Intrigue but the Movie Never Lets Up on the Unknown ever Being Truly Known until the Ending Scroll.The Film is Better in Parts than the Whole and it is Worth a Watch but Ultimately, Most Likely, will be a Frustrating Experience. It's too Short and Shallow to be much more than a Quick Fix Guilty Pleasure for True Crime Junkies and Fans of Lurid B-Movies.

hughman55 I don't enjoy taking time out to write a review of a film that I find thoroughly without merit. But here goes. This film is about a horrific crime. A husband and father murders his wife and three children, gets caught, and attempts to place the blame on his murdered wife. He flees to Mexico where he tries to pass himself off as NY Times reporter/writer, and easily impressed sycophant, Mike Finkle. This film deals with their relationship. As one character (a relative of the murdered wife) puts it to Mr. Finkle during a trial recess, "you could have written a story about anyone and you chose him". She's right. And so this film, like the book it's based on, and the real life relationship between the cold blooded killer and the "hero" worshiping writer, falls into the narcissistic formula of being about the observers rather than the crime or it's victims. It is sickening. The screen writers inject redemptive moments into the story line which does nothing to change the fact that this film has the wrong perspective and is about all the wrong people. And instead of having a ring of truth in them they simply come off as a unnecessary confection, and an utterly distasteful device, in order to sell this bad film. I didn't buy it for a second. I really hate movies like this. It, like the book it's based on, is a vulture picking over the bones of four innocent murder victims for profit.