True Story

Two damaged men forge an unlikely relationship in this fact-based legal thriller from filmmaker Rupert Goold featuring fine performances from Jonah Hill and James Franco as a disgraced journalist and an accused murderer, respectively. Mike Finkel (Hill) is an ambitious writer for the New York Times who was fired in 2001 for violating the paper's ethical standards. When Finkel discovers that Christian Longo (Franco), an Oregon man accused of killing his wife and three children, had been using Finkel's name while on the lam, he smells an irresistible story that might also offer a way to redeem himself. Finkel reaches a deal with Longo, who promises him an exclusive after the trial if Finkel will in turn help Longo hone his writing skills, although the latter actually has a larger purpose in mind. While the outcome of Longo's trial is a matter of public record, the movie teases viewers with doubts about his guilt. Based on Finkel's titular memoir, True Story to some extent comes across as special pleading on the author's behalf (who seems sorrier for getting caught than for what he did), but it is ultimately an intriguing film with a strong cast. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Rupert Goold, a “making-of” featurette (6 min.), the production segments “The Truth Behind True Story” (4 min.) and “Who Is Christian Longo?” (4 min.), a piece on film subject Mike Finkel (4 min.), a stills gallery, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are deleted scenes with optional commentary (17 min.) and a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a well-acted true drama.] (F. Swietek)