TeenzTen An action-packed slog

Tayloriona Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

loganholley Here's an everyday scenario: popular musician tries to make a movie, the movie either sucks or is about one of their various tours. Justin Bieber, Vanilla Ice, and the list goes on. The point is, musicians, as talented as they may be in the fields of music, don't typically make for good filmmakers, actors, or camera material in general. Now enter David Byrne. A good majority of strange 80s' pop can be considered to be by David Byrne or inspired by his works in some ways. Talking Heads may be not for everyone, but there's no denying their music often has a strange and upbeat charm to it. This leads me to Byrne's feature film, True Stories.Words cannot truly describe this film. I don't know if I can really call it a film because it has no real plot structure to it, but whatever it is, it sure is something. If I had one word to truly describe what this movie is in a nutshell, it's surreal. Not a whole lot makes sense, the monologues are beautiful in just how nonsensical they can get, and yet there's no denying that it's well done. The performances, for as absurd as they can get, do great at portraying the types of wacky characters that inhabit this piece. The cinematography, itself, is not awful nor is it amazing. For a film made by someone who has had their main career in music, Byrne's directorial debut is fairly solid.As with the music by Talking Heads, True Stories is a light, but enjoyable, experience. There's nothing too pretentious here (although I typically hate that term and every dudebro that uses it to exhaustion), and it's charming in just how unusual it is. I mean this in the most sincere of ways, True Stories is definitely up there with some of the more absurd films I've ever seen. Although it won't be everyone's slice of pie, it's worth seeing just to see how far they'll go. In other words, it's brilliant.

rooprect Imagine someone taking the script & characters of "Leave it to Beaver" and filming it in vivid color with some cool music. That's the feeling I got while watching this movie. Sometimes it's hard to know if you're supposed to laugh with the characters or at them."True Stories" a satire of smalltown America, of course, including some extreme caricatures of humanity (sloth, dishonesty, materialism, imperialism, etc). But it's done with such a low-key presentation that it might pass you by without you noticing. This film is definitely a comedy, but there are no punchlines. Just a bizarre feeling that everything is a joke.David Byrne (referred to only as "Our Visitor") strolls through the bizarre setting of Virgil, Texas, narrating various odd episodes with his signature soft, nerdy voice. Anyone else would've come across as sarcastic, but Byrne is so deadpan--like Leslie Nielsen 2 octaves higher--that we often wonder exactly what he's trying to say. If anything.But the episodes speak for themselves. If you don't immediately catch the absurdness of the situations, the wacky visuals and blending of surrealism should be enough to tell you you're watching a quiet madhouse. Several sequences border on Terry Gilliam-esque genius while others aren't quite as effective. But either way, it's a memorable experience. John Goodman's lines & facial expressions are classic, guiding us through an otherwise perplexing experience.It's hard to compare this to other films, but Byrne's directing style reminded me of early Tim Burton ("Edward Scissorhands", "Ed Wood") with his cheerful fantasy-sarcasm. Other times I was reminded of Vincent Gallo ("Buffalo 66") with the odd compositions and asymmetric shots. And in a weird way I was reminded of Godard's classic "Alphaville", the way the humor is so elusive that you hardly realize it's there.Notable songs (lip synched by different characters in the movie) include "Wild Wild Life" at a showcase, "Dream Operator" at a bizarre fashion show at the mall, "Love for Sale" on TV (the regular video), "People Like Us" at a talent show, and the iconic "Radio Head" (which, yes, lent its name to the band) and a slew of other Talking Heads & David Byrne tunes. I confess I didn't recognize any except "Wild Wild Life" & "Radio Head", but I imagine if you're a Talking Heads fan you'll hear plenty to keep you groovin.I wouldn't recommend this to casual moviegoers or casual Talking Heads fans, but if you like (artsy) movies and/or recognize most of the songs I named above, don't hesitate to check out this weird movie.

yulie_manuel The first time I saw True Stories, I was 16 years old and some what of a Talking Heads fan. I thought the movie was goofy but funny. I only watched True Stories once then. After hearing my teen playing Wild, Wild, Life, I thought about looking for the sound track again, (Had the True Stories sound track on vinyl when it first came out). I just bought the DVD and watched it with my kids (14) & (8). I about died when I saw the gas prices . The old commercials are great too. The walk through the shopping mall reveals the old Gap logo and other stores still around and some that have gone. True Stories is a short step back in time for me, and my kids love it because it is so quirky. It is a movie that isn't violent or vulgar, and yet, weird enough for you to have to pay attention to get all of it. Very clever movie. Love it!

katecwatt-1 This movie is a work of poetry and genius. It's funny, poignant, weird, cinematically gorgeous, and very American. It has beautiful performances by the young John Goodman and the late great Spaulding Gray. If I had to introduce America to men from Mars or anthropologists from the future, I'd show 'em this movie! It may seem disjointed on a first viewing, but just let go of the expectation of a linear narrative and let it flow over you like a poem. It's all there, adding up to a powerful meditation on the American dream in a time of isolation, materialism, and corporate identity. Plus, it's really funny. It's worth watching just for the fashion show, the lobster dinner, and Pops Staples' ritual/musical number. And John Goodman's song at the end is an anthem for middle America.