True Stories (1986) User Reviews (64)

The Wild, Wild Life of Virgil, Texas

[reelreviewsandrecommendations · 8/10 · 31 May 2023]

Virgil, Texas is a sleepy little town as American as apple pie and just as sweet. The townsfolk are preparing for a so-called 'Celebration of Specialness', to mark the sesquicentennial of Texas' independence, which has attracted the attention of a talkative, cowboy-hat sporting stranger. This enigmatic stranger guides us through the town and introduces us to its people, showing us the beautiful strangeness of everyday life in Virgil. David Lynch once said that if "one looks a little closer at this beautiful world, there are always red ants underneath." In Virgil, the ants are on the surface.

A surreal musical-comedy directed by David Byrne and written alongside Stephen Tobolowsky and Beth Henley, 'True Stories' is a delightfully absurd film that paints an affectionate portrait of life in a small American town. Full of eccentric, compelling characters- such as the lonely Louis Fyne and the lethargic Miss Rollings- the film is consistently entertaining in an offbeat manner. Consisting of quirky vignettes and permeated with Byrne's brilliant music throughout, 'True Stories' plays a little like a comedy 'Blue Velvet'- minus the sexual and psychological violence, of course.

Like Lynch's film, 'True Stories' celebrates the diversity and creativity of American culture, and finds joy in the ordinary, peculiar and mundane. Byrne, Tobolowsky and Henley's dialogue is idiosyncratic and the way in which Byrne weaves his songs into the narrative is terrifically clever. Though some might find the peculiar tone and satire not to their tastes, for anyone who enjoys the films of Jim Jarmusch, The Coen Brothers, Aki Kaurismaki or the aforementioned Lynch; 'True Stories' will entertain greatly.

It is also a technically impressive effort, with Ed Lachman's cinematography being particularly outstanding. His work enhances 'True Stories' satirical tone while complementing its whimsical humour and charm. Lachman captures the vibrant landscapes and quirky details of Virgil with a keen eye, utilising bright colours, natural light and wide-angle shots to create a sense of openness and awe. This he contrasts with darker tones, artificial light and close-ups to create a sense of intimacy and mystery. Additionally, he employs various camera techniques- such as tracking shots, zooms and freeze frames- that emphasize the rhythm and energy of the musical numbers, as well as Byrne's narration.

Speaking of the musical numbers, fans of Byrne and Talking Heads will find them delightful. Ranging from bouncy hits like 'Wild, Wild Life' and 'Radio Head' to ballads like 'Dream Operator,' they mark some of Byrne's most heartfelt and witty lyrics, as well as some of his catchiest melodies. They also bolster the film's satirical tone, and the down-to-earth strangeness of its characters. Admirably performed by various members of the cast, each and every song is memorable. Though perhaps the rerecorded versions that made up Talking Heads' penultimate album are better known, the original songs as performed by the cast make up a vital part of 'True Stories' charm and humour.

While on that point, all in the cast perform brilliantly, bringing a sincerity and a quirkiness to proceedings that fits the material- and their roles- perfectly. John Goodman shines as Louis Fyne, the lovable and lonely bachelor longing for romance who sings his heart out. Swoosie Kurtz is equally hilarious as Miss Rollings, who never leaves her bed and has everything delivered to her. Spalding Gray and Annie McEnroe also do fine work as Earl and Kay Culver, a bickering pair of civic leaders who communicate through their children and their television. And of course, David Byrne himself is a captivating narrator and guide, who interacts with Virgil's townsfolk with an endearing mixture of curiosity and respect.

Unique and charming, 'True Stories' showcases David Byrne's incomparable vision and talent as a director, writer and musician. Featuring numerous humorous vignettes that paint an original, surreal tapestry of small-town American life, as well as great dialogue and pointed satire, the film is a delight from start to finish. Boasting a brilliant soundtrack, striking cinematography and fine performances from all in the cast, 'True Stories' is a truly strange, truly brilliant piece of fiction.

An Intriguing 80s Artifact

[davidals · 7/10 · 15 September 2003]

At this late date, TRUE STORIES – the lone feature film directed by renaissance man/rock-n-roll artiste/ex-Rhode Island School of Design student David Byrne - is viewed (if remembered as all) as a cerebral artifact from the 80s. TRUE STORIES is a far from flawless film, and its' influence is highly debatable. But the 90s saw an explosion of films wrapped in an aura of aloof, ironic cool – bits of very low-key postmodernist voyeuristic glimpses into the day-to-day lives of 'ordinary people' – either lauded or ridiculed for their 'authenticity.'

Simultaneously, a number of feature films were also exploring the limits of a dubious sub-style known as faux-documentary. And – great or not – this fascinating film reworked the possibilities of both long before most of the competition. In essence, this is a very detached take on the musical – set in fictional Virgil, Texas – a small-but-growing prairie boomtown notable for its antiseptic normality. Each of the principal characters are based upon people Byrne (who co-wrote the screenplay) had read about in tabloid newspapers – hence the man so lonely he buys commercial time to advertise himself on TV (John Goodman), the laziest woman in the world (Swoozie Kurtz), the world's worst pathological liar (Jo Harvey Allen), and spectacles like the mall fashion show, where we get to see (among other treats) a 3-piece suit made entirely out of lawn clippings (What?!?! No macramé, velvet paintings, tractor pulls or decoupage?). Byrne – who appears as a travel guide/narrator - gently escorts the audience through this offbeat parade, as the varied denizens of Virgil do what they do, occasionally pausing to sing one of the numerous songs (genre exercises well-matched to the characters - watch for a great 'Papa Legba' performed by the late Pops Staples) written by Byrne for the film. At worst, TRUE STORIES could be viewed as the enthusiastic and genuinely inspired work of an ambitious, intellectual urbanite who really, really ought to get out more – and Byrne should be credited for not indulging in the sneering, aloof insularity that has occasionally infected more recent films of this variety.

But at best it comes across as a genuine attempt at presenting a unique variety of homegrown, Americana-style surrealism – something that might possibly qualify as a specific strand of folk art and culture that would be a rural counterpart to what folks like Keith Haring, Laurie Anderson, Barbara Krueger, Spalding Grey – and Byrne – were doing in the insular world of Manhattan in the 1980s. TRUE STORIES looks amazing – thanks to the sparse cinematography, and Spalding Grey, John Goodman (as Byrne's comic foil) and Pops Staples are all great. A genuinely seminal, if flawed film.

like the song says, It's a scientific lifestyle ...

[His_Dudeness74 · 8/10 · 2 February 2006]

When rock's 'renaissance man' (as he was once heralded by Time magazine ..) David Byrne got the go-ahead to direct and co-write his debut feature film, fans of the quirky Talking Heads front man were naturally curious as to what oddness Mr. Byrne would produce ...

With True Stories, Byrne delivered the kind of ambiguous messages and intellectual stimulate fans had come to associate from his musical offerings - a simple enough tale, centering on fictional Texan town Virgil's quirky inhabitants and their preparations for it's 'Sesquecentenial celebration of special-ness' ... a nice backdrop for some kooky comedy, but is Byrne laughing with, or at Virgil's southern population - is he poking gentle fun at the new-age frontiersmen that constitute the towns occupants, or mercilessly taking the p*ss out of the Virgilians and their barren, pre-fab factory dotted landscape ? Some of the characters on display are fools, yet harmless-enough; 'the Lying Woman' with her outrageously tall tales, 'the Cute Woman' with her love of all things pink, 'the Lazy Woman', so rich that she never *needs* to leave her bed (Byrne : 'Well, wouldn't you ?") and fashion-concussed 'Dancing Fool' Louis Fine, who serves as the movie's main character (sympathetically handled by an amiable John Goodman ). Other characters are slightly edgier, conspiracy theorist/Preacher character, Pops Staples mystical love doctor, and the late Spalding Gray's wonderful town patriach ... Overall the films light feel leads one to believe Byrne's intentions were harmless enough - in fact his character in the film, an out-of-towner narrator dressed in ill-judged cowboy suits, is a nice metaphor for Byrne himself; an odd outsider (Byrne was a Scottish immigrant to the USA as a child) observing an even odder, new environment - the narration itself is often amusing but less often illuminating as to the Byrne's own opinions on what he sees...

Great set-pieces like the ghastly Mall fashion show, Byrne's rather surreal dinner appointment at businessman Mr. Culver's family home, a wonderful detour to a gospel church and the assorted whacky acts performed by Virgil's finest during the parade and evening performance make the film easy to watch, as does the cinematography that successfully captures the vast isolated state of Texas and it's people's often kitsch attempts to tame it. Byrne and his band Talking Heads successfully weave musical numbers throughout the film naturally, without contrivance - the actors sing most of the tunes, Byrne only saves the last number, over the closing credits, for himself... Strangely David Byrne has never directed another film. I believe that if this film had been made 10 years after its initial release, it and Byrne would have been swept up in Indie movie fever; True Stories was a slightly odd film when it first screened, and it's ambiguity puzzled some. A bit like David Byrne himself ... Well worth re-visiting if you've seen it before too ...

A David Byrne film

[MichaelCarmichaelsCar · 17 July 2004]

I'm wary of Talking Heads or David Byrne fans that hated 'True Stories.' This film has David Byrne written all over it, and is possibly the ultimate expression of his sensibility.

Byrne was always a most unusual rock star. The only other musical figure in my mind that comes close is Laurie Anderson, and they were both part of the same scene. Byrne's personality is most intriguing and ambiguous; strange, yet unaffected, nerd-ish, but not nerdy, fascinating, but not theatrical. An outrageous introvert, Byrne is like the odd little boy who instead of playing with the other kids, spends his time tinkering and tooling with his parents' electronics -- except, Byrne is a cultural tinkerer, looking at things from a perspective so delicately skewed that a casual glance might reveal nothing at all out of the ordinary. In this manner, "True Stories" is like a David Lynch film in its depiction of small town weirdness, but where Lynch sees a sinister underbelly to the banal, Byrne remains sunnily ambivalent.

The cinematography here is done by Ed Lachman, who has worked with directors such as Paul Schrader, Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, and Steven Soderbergh. It echoes David Byrne's own photography in the way it flatly looks at objects and places head-on, revealing irony by being unironic. A lot of critics have accused Byrne -- from his hipster Lower Manhattan pulpit, I guess -- of contempt for small-town America, but is that really evident here? I don't sense that Byrne is ridiculing any of these characters so much as simply regarding them, perhaps even with some degree of affection.

The look and feel of the movie reminds me of Jim Jarmusch's films a bit, but there aren't really any "stories" told here so much as light vignettes. Upon viewing the film for the first time, one might be underwhelmed, but this is the sort of movie that sneaks up on you upon repeated viewings. There's a lot to treasure here. David Byrne stars in the film as the "narrator," a sort of tour guide that Steven H. Scheuer described as a "new age Mr. Rogers" (doesn't Byrne kind of remind you of Mr. Rogers? I mean, what can be said for a rock star that reminds you of Mr. Rogers and makes completely funky music?), showing the viewer around the fictional town of Virgil, Texas. We meet Virgil's various oddball inhabitants. John Goodman is the world's most eligible bachelor, so desperate for matrimony that he places a "Wife Wanted" sign on his front lawn (in the shape of an arrow, with blinking lights) and appears on television in a commercial advertisement, boasting a 1-800 number for interested bachelorettes. Swoozie Kurtz is the world's laziest woman, who hasn't left her bed in about a decade, which is the same length of time for which Earl Culver (Spalding Gray), founder of Virgil-based corporation VeriCorp, has not spoken with his wife, with whom he is happily married. And then there's Mr. Tucker, the town's voodoo priest and part-time caretaker of the world's laziest woman, played by 'Pops' Staples who is a sweet, gentle angel here, and whose "Papa Legba" furnishes the movie with its best musical number. We even get to attend church, where the pastor's sermon is like a compilation of conspiracy theories, questioning the link between Bobby Ray Inman, toilet paper and Elvis, leading into the song "Puzzlin' Evidence."

"True Stories" looks at small town America in a fashion similar to the way Tim Burton looks at suburban USA. With Talking Heads songs as well as original music by Meredith Monk, Kronos Quartet, and others, there's a magical quality that stirs beneath the surface. In possibly the film's best scene, ending in what looks like the most bizarre parody of The Last Supper I've ever seen, Spalding Gray gives an impromptu lecture over dinner about the future of Virgil, exploiting the entrées for metaphors while the dinner china quite literally comes to life to illustrate his points. In his customarily child-like deadpan, Byrne interjects, "Excuse me, Mr. Culver, I've forgotten what these peppers represent."

This film made me think of those historical museums you find in most small towns in America, whose employees are almost always lifelong residents of said small town, speaking with pride and conviction about the importance of their city. These are places for which Byrne clearly has an affinity, and also community centers, shopping malls, taverns, churches, and talent shows.

These places are absurd, yes, but also as wondrous as any theme park.

A satire so thick you don't know if it's a satire

[rooprect · 7/10 · 22 November 2012]

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.

"THAT was the weirdest thing I've EVER seen."

[blackmare · 9/10 · 17 July 2006]

That's what he told me, at the end of the movie. The sophisticated New Yorker, the witty Kubrick fan with his degree in film, sat there stunned on the floor; I could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears.

To try and describe it is something like attempting to nail Jell-O to the wall. There's no plot, really; but there are a lot of things going on, threads of peoples' lives, loosely connected. The film describes itself as being "about a bunch of people in Virgil, Texas" and it is, but actually it's about the wonderful absurdity, lunacy even, of "normal" American life. David Byrne's Narrator character isn't condescending or snide. He's innocent, wondering, matter-of-fact. He looks at the cookie-cutter tract houses and asks, "Who can say it isn't beautiful?"

This is a very unique little movie, and people either seem to get it, or not. I can never predict who will or won't catch the humor. But, if you're not smiling by the end of the intro sequence, this probably isn't the movie for you. Personally, I was laughing my butt off by then. I can't say that this movie made me a better person, but it did add something to my world and gave me a great appreciation for the mind of David Byrne.

Quirky, but somehow light-hearted and funny

[TS_Green · 7/10 · 28 August 2021]

I don't know anything about David Byrne or Talking Heads, so it was my surprise that I was actually able to finish watching this movie. It is quirky and could be artsy-fartsy social commentary, but no. This is kinda light-hearted and funny, and I think it is because David Byrne is somehow a likable character.

I didn't expect this movie to have a plot. It's about a fictitious small town named Virgil in Texas, where the "Celebration of Specialness" festival took place to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of Texas' independence. David Byrne plays a narrator, who seems to be invited to this town to report the preparation of this event and the people of Virgil.

He is not a pretentious hipster, nor making fun of weird people in this small town, but seems genuinely curious.

I read in Wikipedia about the story behind how this script was written. David Byrne clipped articles from tabloids as Talking Heads had been on tour. And he made a ton of drawings based on the clippings (Hence himself reading a tabloid in the movie poster, I guess). He met Stephen Tobolowsky (the insurance salesman Ned in "Groundhog Day") and his girlfriend Bath Heyley at a screening of Jonathan Demme's film. Byrne showed his drawings to them, and asked them to write a screenplay based on his drawings. He ended up rewriting almost the whole script, but asked Tobolowsky and Heley to list their names as co-scriptwriters so the film would seem less like a "vanity project."

So I assume that the quirky characters in this film are based on the tabloid clippings David Byrne was intrigued by, and that's why it doesn't seem like he's laughing at them. He loves his characters.

I recommend this movie when you feel like watching an offbeat movie, but don't want to watch anything hipster-overload.

A true 80's showpiece

[duane-24 · 9/10 · 10 March 2003]

Of all movies that seem to, for some reason, want to glorify the 80's - this film shows us simply how we were. Should be placed in the Smithsonian.

Don't compare it to Guffman or any other movie. I doubt Byrne thought of it as any sort of genre piece - in fact it's hardly a movie at all. It's simply what happens when a talented performance artist is given a lot of money.

I weep, however, for Warner Brother's marketing department as they tried to sell it. All in all they failed. Tag line should be: "We gave David Byrne a lot of money to make a movie, come see what he made."

Follow the "external review" link to Roger Ebert's excellent review.

Interesting enough.....

[vonnoosh · 7/10 · 29 March 2024]

Talking Heads was more or less finished with this movie. They would put out another album after True Stories but it doesn't sound like Talking Heads as much as it sounds like a David Byrne solo album and no, Talking Heads was not just David Byrne with some good musicians.

Really the band is barely seen in the movie too, taking a backseat to David Byrne and his self important messaging (much like his lyrics).

What I do like about True Stories is the offbeat feel of it. It's like watching Edward Scissorhands without Edward Scissorhands. The town and the people have this odd feel about them as this odd man comes around and talks to and about them.

Spalding Gray is great giving a strange monologist type performance at the dinner table describing the state of his town.

This might be the big breakout role for John Goodman since this predates Raising Arizona. I doubt those early 80s soup commercials were his breakout role but they very well might have led directly to his being cast in this given how much American advertising played a role in shaping Byrne's vision.

This isn't the big musical movie event of the 80s (Prince's Purple Rain owns that title), but if you like offbeat comedies or movies with a strange feel about them like Jim Jarmusch, Alex Cox, Wim Wenders, David Lynch (only The Straight Story), this film feels at home in their company.

Funny and touching

[Chrissie · 9/10 · 10 April 1999]

Although some scenes (like the fashion show) are clear absurdist parodies, Byrne tends to approach his topics more as an observer than a critic. Often the tone is sympathetic, never critical.

Although much of Byrne's commentary is at best cryptic or anticlimactic ("Personally, I believe -- I can see Ft. Worth from here."), there is much profundity beneath the absurdism. Byrne's reflections on forgetting are particularly apt.

This is not a film to approach with any expectations. Just watch and absorb, and let what you see percolate in your mind.

John Goodman's character is also the most charming Everyman to grace the screen since Marty.

The music sequences are also among the best I've ever seen.

Rent it and watch it on a big screen TV. Watch sober. Watch under the influence of your favorite mind-altering substance. Watch alone. Watch with friends. Watch when you're alert and rested. Watch when you're tired. Watch again and again.

If you like David Byrne, this won't be the David BYRNE FILM you are expecting. It is a different kind of film which is nonetheless very good.

[movieboy13 · 7/10 · 26 July 2014]

This summer I got into Talking Heads and the music of David Byrne. So naturally when I saw that Byrne had written and directed a movie, I had to see it. From his description of the movie as "60 Minutes on acid", the fact that Byrne got complete artistic control on the film, and Byrne's infamously wild stage antics, I expected a bizarre, surreal, and crazy movie. This sweet, genuine,funny, and peculiar film about small-town life was not what I expected. After a first viewing, I liked the music, John Goodman's performance, David Byrne's narration, and many other things, but admittedly felt a bit disappointed. Disappointed may not actually be the right word. Rather surprised. I expected one film and got another. I thought the movie had a collection of interesting ideas and was quite likable, but it just felt off like it was missing something.

I decided to revisit True Stories again later in the summer. I am very glad I did. I really really like this movie. To see this movie and appreciate it, you really should see it twice. This movie only proves more that David Byrne is brilliant. David Byrne delivered something that was not expected of him and instead of playing to type. If you are a fan of Byrne and Talking Heads, you'll love the music and it does have a little bit of Byrnian weirdness, but try to view this not as a David BYRNE FILM but rather as a film one it's own. It portrays some stereotypes of small town folk yet in a loving way. It is a nice movie and maybe the only movie I can think of that does not attempt to satirize or look down upon small town life, but rather cast a light upon what small town life is (using a bit of hyperbole) through unbiased eyes. It's a like a more surreal version of Napoleon Dynamite with less obvious humor and Talking Heads in it. David Byrne's character is clever because he represents the audience. He is viewing the town of Virgil, Texas much like the viewers are.It all feels very much like real life and not like a movie. His monotonous voice, deadpan delivery, and the literalness of what he is saying just works for some reason. He says a lot of random things and speaks in a very stream of consciousness way and you are always wondering what is going through his head. This only emphasizes more that this film does not spell anything out for the audience and says it like it is. It dances to it's own beat and it lets the audience decide what everything means. Not many films do that anymore. The movie is pretty disjointed and isn't perfect, but nothing is perfect. It offers unique take on small town life, the music is great, the cinematography is very good, John Goodman is great as the love-seeking giant, Lewis, and all of the characters are quite memorable. It may not change your life, but it is undeniably likable, and you'll find yourself thinking about it after the movie is over. Not very much actually happens in the movie, but when it is over, you do at least feel like you got to know Virgil, Texas a little bit.

This movie can surreal but not in an overly distracting way. Which is odd because while watching the film, certain scenes might make you think, "This is the weirdest movie ever!" Yet when the movies has ended and you look back on it, somehow I doubt the words you will use to describe this movie is weird. It is hard to explain, but i think you will get it. Well I guess this movie could be called surreal if you consider it randomly breaks into song at some points. Yet it really isn't a musical. Once again, once you see it, you will know what I mean.

I can see how this film got lost in the hustle of the 80's and forgotten but it deserves better. Although it is not revolutionary in any way, I think this is an underrated and wonderful little movie by a great artist and it deserves more attention and is worth an hour and a half of your time. You probably won't see another film quite like it.

"I have something to say about the difference between American and European cities. But I've forgotten what it is. I have it written down at home somewhere."

Folk art in a little big town

[monkmellon15 · 9/10 · 26 December 2005]

The film itself is rich in it's look and content. True stories is Set in A fictional small town in Texas, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the state in it's own small way. Byrne points out how many small American towns shape themselves politically and culturally from the inside. The scenes of the vast Texas landscape reflect the isolation of little Virgil. Byrne drives past a row of brand new houses with four car garages and asks "who do you think lives here?", much like he does in some of his TH songs such as "Big Country" and "Dont Worry About the Government". When we do meet who lives there we are greeted by a quite eclectic bunch; the world's laziest woman, Louis the desperate bachelor, Ramon, the voodoo priest. Often when we visit small unassuming towns, we are surprised by what we find. Byrne's character obviously had some assumptions about Virgil, Texas. He walks around town in a stetson hat and cowboy shirts and wonders why everyone else doesn't dress the same way. The songs are terrific in the film. I was well familiar with the TH album of the same name before I saw the film, but many of the renditions are on par with the unofficial soundtrack, particularly "papa legba" and Goodman's "people like us". The movie is an homage to Byrne's fascination to small town America and folk art. Byrne's commentary over a series of photo montages are great too, like when he gives the history of Texas in about 3 minutes noting that "the Spaniards offered the indians a chance to become slaves. The indians thought about this, decided it was not a good idea, and killed the Spaniards" Those that really dislike this movie are, on some level, just not getting it.

an intriguing if flawed effort

[ABechtel · 7/10 · 5 July 1999]

David Byrne was riding high when he wrote and directed this odd film, presented in semi-documentary style. His deadpan narration is at times annoying but more often endearing as he makes less-than-obvious observations about a small Texas town. John Goodman, then a relative unknown, turns in a solid performance.

The Talking Heads music here isn't the band's strongest; in hindsight, one could argue that the other Heads were growing weary of indulging Byrne.

Operates on a different frequency than I do

[cricketbat · 3/10 · 28 December 2018]

True Stories operates on a different frequency than I do. I didn't get the humor, I didn't relate to the characters and I didn't understand what was going on most of the time. But I felt like I should. This film is intentionally off-kilter, but I guess it's just a little too eccentric for my tastes.

A beautiful look into what makes modern America tick.

[nemphusi · 6 December 2004]

True stories, while considered a comedy, should not be limited by that role.

It is of course a comedy, but it is really so much more, because, as the film claims, it is a 'multi-purpous' movie.

To fully understand this film's meaning, we first have to first look at what this film is about. A bunch of people living in Virgil, Texas. It is important to note this because this film is not about the place, as it is about the people who live in that place, for, really, what is a city without people?

True Stories examines one man in particular amongst all the others. Louis Fyne, or Louis the Bear. Louis is the quintessential common man in all of his glory. He is not a real man, but a symbolic character, much as everything else in this film, and it is his own stark conveyance of his personality which allows us to say, 'yeah, I know how he feels,' because deep down inside, we all want what Louis wants, and that, of course, is love.

Swoosie Kurtz, as the lazing Miss Rollings, represents another typical American feature. Materialism. Miss Rollings, despite her enormous wealth is not content, and hence her appetite for consumption, she too, is looking for love, but does not yet know it. It takes Louis' performance for her to realize that she, too, is lonely.

These two characters, Fyne and Rollings, are the main symbolic features of this film. It is there search for fulfillment, and eventual arrival at that fulfillment, which comprises the bulk of the film. This is not to say that they alone are the only symbolics in search of love, for example, the assembly line conversation expresses many different modern views on love, and the many feelings associated with it (bitterness, lust, heartbreak). And also the search for significance and meaning are taken by the 'cute' woman (she cannot bare sadness, and so chooses to ignore it, focusing only on the cute things), and the Lying Woman (who is obviously disappointed by the reality of her life, and so seeks to enrich it, and impress it, by making up for her lacking reality with a rich and vibrant fictional history). However, there is more to this film then just the search for love and significance.

There is the Varicorp head (the defacto ruler of Virgil) and his love for business and overall work which shows the corporate obsession in today's America. The line at the dinner table about work and pleasure is merging together is brought home earlier in the film by the varitech tourgide Byrne talks to in the mall of Virgil (he is working on a project at home, for his own pleasure) the trick of the future then is learning how to keep these inventors inside Virgil, and harness their power.

This brings us to the technology theme. Technology is a major theme throughout the entire film. We are all trying to use the latest technology to make our lives easier, and fulfill our desires. Louis speaks briefly on a computer dating service he used briefly, and the resulting woes we now frequently associate with such ventures (he ended up with a midget). The Varitech tourguide speaks of computers as a form of expression, like an art.

What is truly amazing is how true this observation has really become. No longer is it just the geek building a PC out of a box, or a processor taking up an entire football field, now we have computers everywhere, built into all our facets of life, and many of us feel more comfortable expressing ourselves over a digital medium than our typical tactile method.

Structures are also highly symbolic in this film. The multipurpose boxlike structure of vari-corp, the likewise square shape of the stage, the metal buildings, and even the suburban housing developments are all symbolic of the different ways humans have found ways to not only live their dreams out, but mass order them. In True Stories the idea of the house as the platform of the dream is brought forward with amazing clarity. The suburban sprawl exists as the homebase for the modern American worker, and the cultivation of a family (or lack thereof, as doomsday is, after all, right around the corner) is the progression of the individual dream. On a business sense, Byrne looks the possible cheapening of that dream with the construction metal building. Order it out of a catalog, and in a couple of days, maybe a week, it's done.

Spirituality and religion is another aspect of this film that deserves observance. Notice the difference between organized religion, and the vague, hazy voodoo christianic faith that are portrayed in this film. What good does the preacher in the church do compared to the work of the witch doctor (if he did indeed do anything at all). Notice that while the Mexican character is the keyboardist for the church, he is also selling the address of the old witch doctor, and that while all the members of Virgil seem to show up at the large church, the witch doctor still gets plenty of business (as is represented by the large amount of photographs in the shrine).

Consumerism in a broader sense (more than just materialism) is also apparent in True Stories. Shopping is a Feeling is an excellent portrayal of the consumer American. People are no longer shopping to acquire, but to experience. It is a sort of religious, enriching experience, as people share the shopping feeling with their friends and loved ones.

Time is also a major element in True Stories. In speaking of the history of Virgil, Byrne goes all the way back to the days when the area was covered by ocean, and of course, the song, City of Dreams, is a very transcental piece examining the passage of ideas from people to people.

Finally we must look at music as a form of communication, possibly the largest aspect of the entire film (and understandable, too, considering that this film is technically a musical), music is taken beyond mere entertainment and portrayed as a way of conveying feeling, emotion, and truth. Louis' highly anticipated song conveys much about his character, as does Dream Operator for wife of the Varicorp head. Every song in True Stories serves a purpose in conveying the nature of a character.

In summation, True Stories is a film about America in a microcostic sense. Virgil is America. And we are the special people Virgil is celebrating, because even the most magnificent people don't look that special at first glance. And of course, even though some ideas presented in the film are slightly scary, Byrne makes not opinionated statements. He take everything in, and gives it out, with that same subdued earnestness we have come to expect by the end of the film, and it leaves us wandering, perhaps none of all this is really that bad after all, just different.

Given the wonderful images, the film is disappointing

[funkyfry · 6/10 · 6 November 2002]

Somewhat pedantic, nowhere story about a small town in Texas putting on an anniversary show (sounds like "Waiting for Guffman", but not as funny) is lightened by interesting visual compositions by Ed Lachman and the music and performances of the Talking Heads, one of the best rock bands of the late 70s/80s. Goodman also provides some humor as a lonely bachelor with a unique style of dress, who believes singing stardom (via the town's show) is the key to solving his sexual frustration.

Some interesting scenes, but this film manages to be both goofy and too pretentious, and there isn't enough outright comedy to salvage the plot's slow movement.

One of the Coolest Movies of the 1980's

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 10/10 · 8 April 2010]

The original tag line of "True Stories" was: "It's a completely cool, multi-purpose movie." Yes it really is. Directed and written by David Byrne (singer, writer, composer, a multi-talented person), this movie is an surprising and uplifting story about Virgil, a fictional Texas city that are celebrating the state's sesquicentennial year.

Byrne is the nameless narrator of "True Stories", and here he presents us all kinds of characters, including the lovely Lewis Fyne (John Goodman, very good) a bachelor who wants desperately to get married even knowing that his appearance isn't what most women wants; the Culver family led by the most influential business man of the city, the odd, funny and controlling Earl Culver (Spalding Gray) among many other persons.

Both in his musical works and in the case of this movie, Byrne puts very forms of speeches, as may seem throughout "True Stories". It's not just an ordinary comedy, it has something more powerful between it. He made statements over the unbridled consumerism (well noticed in the lyrics of "Wild Wild Life" and in the video of "Love for sale", where a sitting woman and a walking employee robot, watches a video clip showing that everything and everybody's out for sale). Those moments might seen an attack to some viewers and probably many will find that these scenes has nothing to do with the movie. Wrong. It is just a way to show many aspects of real life, after all we're talking about possible true people but in a funny way. It is not pointing to the people like a character judgment. Instead of that, Byrne and the writers (the actor Stephen Tobolowsky is one of them) shows us many levels of the society's stereotypes (the funny guy, the simple people and the rich people, and their events). But there's a sense of union, everybody likes each other in the movie, people go to clubs and shopping malls, sing songs, go to the big parade honoring the city and their special figures. Everything is likable. Perhaps in a deep view you'll find that something's wrong.

It's like Altman's "Nashville" but with less characters and more funny, and it's like "This is Spinal Tap", (both stories are showed in a documentary style) but Byrne's film is far more complex, very much like an art film filled with cultural references. This is one more of the most positive and underrated films I ever seen and I think it was made way ahead of its time. One of those to be watched again and again. If you're a Talking Heads fan you'll enjoy the songs played in the movie and sing along (Wild Wild Life is my favorite moment). If you're not a fan or don't know Talking Heads, well here's a great invitation to meet them. It's very cool and fun to watch! 10/10

A very unique movie, and at times also a very good one

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 16 April 2019]

This is "True Stories", an American (very!) English-language movie from 1986, so this one is already easily over 30 years old and the director here is Scottish musician David Byrne, band leader from Talking Heads, and you could say this is his tribute not only to his band, but also to the state of Texas. Byrne also writes and plays a central character here. Well, is it a central character, perhaps in terms of screen time, but really he is just a witness to all the other characters. We don't know much about him other than that the car is his. It is much more about the people he meets on his journey through a town that celebrates its 150th anniversary. And as we witness the cleebrations, we get to know a handful quirky oddball characters from the place, people that are despite some of their mannerisms as normal as it gets. It is a contradiction I know, but it is what it is. maybe you need to have at least one little spleen that sets you apart from the rest and maybe having this spleen is what makes you normal. The character at the center of it all is played by John Goodman and he is also by far the most known cast member in these 1.5 hours. He plays a simple worker who enjoys spending time on stage singing most of the time, sometimes lighter material, sometimes more serious material and his big goal throughout the entire film is finding his significant other. He is maybe not the most memorable character though. That could be the lady who is rich enough not to leave her bed. How clean it is downstairs in her house and if the cleaning lady does a good job, she can only tell from hearsay. Then there is this couple who only talk through her children. Then there is the woman who clearly makes stories up all the time about Elvis, about Rambo and about many others as she clearly likes being in the limelight and who knows, maybe people even believe her from time to time. Or the Black voodoo practitioner, well this one was not as interesting to me as everybody else I must say.

But i sure enjoyed the film overall. The proportion between music and story feels perfect and I was pretty curious to see what these characters would do next and of course if Goodman finds his girl. It is definitely a lighter film, but that does not mean it isn't deeper. If you look for drama and in-depth character studies, you will find them. You only need to keep your eyes open. The best example is how the parents react when they see that little puppet presentation at the end and they realize they see themselves in there. I think at times this was even a great movie. I cannot deny I absolutely enjoyed Byrne's presence here and it was a shame he was not to be seen that frequent anymore as he left the stage to his characters eventually. But his narration and speaking style felt so soothing and interesting at the same time even that I find it a pity that basically all his acting credits here on imdb almost are music videos. A definite contender for playing the most chill character in film history. He was amazing to an extent where I would have been fine for him to receive a Supporting Oscar nomination, also to honor his involvement in all the other fields he worked on in this film. Well, he didn't get it of course, but he won the Oscar not much later in the Score category and I am glad to see he did. Perhaps this was the most creative phase of his life. Now back to this film, I also kinda liked the music. Not always, but most of it. My favorite song was Wild Wild Life early on already and even that song was pretty much calm and soothing (despite the title) like everything else about this film. So it was a close call at times for me if i would give 4 or 3 stars out of 5 here, but eventually I went for the latter because the second half did not convinve me as much. In general, I could say that the exact celebrations did not exactly wow me. This refers to the fashion show, these fast-speaking men or also most of the other on-stage moments. But it is a film as harmless as it gets. The people in here are really normal, all trying to find their own little share of happiness and all likable too. There is nothing serious happening in here. Even when we see the young woman falling down because of her heavy costume apparently, we don't see the fall precisely, but just how the host sees it we see the latter's face. And we hear right afterwards that nothing serious happened at all. By the way, I quite liked the cowboy outfits on Byrne especially here, but also on Goodman in the end. Okay, I think I probably forgot at least 10 additional aspects I wanted to write about, but when the film was over one woman next to me said that she had never watched a movie like this and this can certainly be seen as a compliment. It was really enjoyable and extremely funny during its best moments. It was a one-time showing here in a local theater again and I am glad I went for it after some initial hesitation. It is not necessarily a film that is infinitely better on the big screen than on the small screen because the visual side is just one reason why it succeeds, but not the biggest, let alone only reason, but it was still kinda fun to see it there at the theater as this chance may perhaps never come again. I give it a thumbs-up, without the slightest bit of hesitation. The only hesitation I got is when answering the question if it is a good or great movie. Don't miss out!

Go south

[rosebud-karlstad · 10/10 · 2 February 2006]

This movie made me a different person, to watch David Byrne was a heartwarming experience. Sometimes it's a slow moving picture but it picks up the pace in just the right time to make you feel involved in the characters. To put it frank - this was a mind blowing experience. Some people may come to the conclusion that this is just a simple movie about simple people - and these people are right. But my dear friends, ask yourselves; how often do you see that - once in a lifetime! The reason that I haven't said anything concrete about the movie is that it's a picture in the same class as Lost Highway, try to say something about that movie, it's not easy, see it and become a better human being.

David Byrne's Self-Parody

[HelloTexas11 · 7/10 · 1 January 2008]

Reading some of the other reviews of this quirky little movie, I was amazed at how much I have apparently missed the twenty or so times I've watched it. Either that, or these other reviewers were stoned. I suspect the latter. Having a puff or two before watching 'True Stories' isn't a bad idea, though, as it seems to make one more receptive to the experience. I disagree with the other reviewers mentioned however; I find nothing 'deep' about 'True Stories.' It's a sophisticated new wave New Yorker's look at eccentric Texas rubes, alternately snide and endearing, with no greater meaning than that, intended or observed. Byrne, who directed and co-wrote, has crafted a funny little flick that tries just a bit too hard to be bizarre about very mundane matters but does display a wickedly silly wit at times. It's full of Byrne's Talking Heads music too, which is a perfect fit. The story, such as it is, concerns about a half-dozen residents of Virgil, Texas; their everyday lives and the town's preparation for its celebration of special-ness. There is the lonely guy who advertises for a wife; a woman who never gets out of bed; a conspiracy-minded preacher; another woman who never tells the truth about anything (and who is appropriately named 'the lying woman' in the credits); one of the town's leading couples, who never speak to each other (directly, anyway); and an old psychic of sorts, who is hired by the lonely guy to cast a spell and find him 'someone to love.' The film is really a series of barely-related vignettes and musical numbers. Byrne is both the narrator and a featured player. It's never clear why he's in Virgil, other than to make comments that are by turn, bland, nonsensical, and just plain odd, all delivered dryly with a straight face. Highlights include a strange fashion show (though it's a bit over-the-top, even for this movie), a church service set to a great Talking Heads song 'Puzzling Evidence,' karaoke night at the local bar, and a take-off of commercials, again set to a Heads song, this time 'Love For Sale.' The reason I call this a 'self-parody' is that 'True Stories' ends up being far more a spoof of Byrne himself, his attitudes and sensibilities, than of the intended spoofees. One can almost picture him and his collaborators snickering between takes at the clever little potshots they are taking at all the hicks and rednecks. Good performances, particularly by John Goodman, Spalding Gray, and great old Pops Staples, infuse 'True Stories' with a good deal more oddball warmth than I suspect Byrne ever intended. But in doing so, they tend to disprove what seems to be the film's central premise, that these people are loonies who 'don't want freedom (or) justice.' Crazy, maybe so, but they're doing just fine, even if they are a couple of thousand miles from New York City. 'True Stories' is one of those rare movies that is better, and funnier, than it was supposed to be.

One of the most surreal comedies I've ever seen

[loganholley · 9/10 · 1 September 2017]

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.

True Stories is pretty good

[aidanmbobbe · 7/10 · 3 December 2018]

First the good things: I love this movie and it's soundtrack. I love David Byrne and Talking Heads. I think this movie looks beautiful personally as well as having some of the most unique sound design I've ever heard. The movie has a unique presentation over all. It seems like a mashup of an old educational film, a mockumentary, a documentary, a musical, a music video, and a few other things I can't come up with. David Byrne, as well as all the other characters are performed with a strange kind of delivery that makes the movie so interesting to watch outside of the visuals. The movie makes some MORE unique choices with it's presentation with touches of "old educational film" and documentary motifs with a great example being the many driving shots with clearly processed backgrounds and soundstage reflections in the mirror. The climax of the movie at the talent show has one shot with the camera's shadow clear as daylight on the screen.

The not-so-great things: My first experience watching the movie was rather boring with the musical sequences, David Byrne's philosophizing, and the altogether structure of the movie turned me off the first time. The thing about this movie is that (based on my experience at least) it's challenging to actually understand the intent of each choice as well if the "choices" were even consciously made. The shadow of the camera as mentioned earlier still perplexes me.

So yes, I consider True Stories to be a great, unique movie despite some of it's flaws. Good job!

A wonderful film.

[joey1138 · 10/10 · 23 July 2001]

David Byrne's feature film directorial debut is, in my opinion, one of the best films of the 80's. Sweet, sincere, and often funny, True Stories blends fantastic characters and stories with the great music of the Talking Heads.

Worth-seeing for John Goodman's performance and for the music...

[moonspinner55 · 3/10 · 18 March 2006]

Dire black comedy helmed by rock star-turned-actor/co-writer/director David Byrne, who found early success in the new wave music scene of the mid 1970s with his band Talking Heads. Byrne is drawn to human eccentrics and freaks, life's colorful throwaways; in Virgil, Texas, he delights in putting the weirdest of the weird on display, doing so with either misplaced affection or perhaps mordant desire. John Goodman (pre-"Roseanne") is appealing and very natural playing a lovelorn cowboy, but the other characters are a too-bizarre collection. The intermittent music by Byrne and Talking Heads is frequently very good, but the film is more smug than amusing. *1/2 from ****

People Like Us. Do You Know Who You Are? You're All The Dream Operators.

[johnstonjames · 10/10 · 21 July 2010]

do you know who you are. you're the dream operators. so stop f--king with other people's dream and dream your dream. it's not always what your conscious mind supposes, so, be prepared.

the film? oh it's just another one of those all-American masterpieces all about a place that is really like no where else in the world. good or bad. this is a film America should be proud of. it makes us look good. it makes us all seem a little unconscious and dreamy, but hey, everyone seems happy and friendly. especially Lewis "the bear", he seems friendly and happy. he just needs to find that certain someone to feel complete with.

who wants freedom? who wants justice? who really does care when you can just have someone to love. meow meow meow meow.