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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An ingeniously quirky, funny, meaningful slice of Americana, 10 April 2005
I have always loved True Stories, but it's not for everyone. This is one ingenious but quirky movie that plays on multiple levels all at the same time. The box cover describes True Stories as "a completely cool, multi-purpose movie," and that's about as good a description as there can be for a film almost impossible to describe. The film takes the form of a documentary of the sesquicentennial celebration in Virgil, Texas, with Talking Heads front man David Byrne cruising into town in his red convertible to narrate the events. Byrne is, in my opinion, an underappreciated genius, and what he managed to do here was to capture a wonderful slice of Americana. Virgil isn't a small town, but it has a small town feel, surrounded by flat land as far as the eye can see - land destined to be developed in the coming years. The townspeople are the true stars of the film, though; most of them are not even given names, and I think this is because they are not so much individuals as representatives of everyday men and women. You have, for example, the Laziest Woman on Earth (Swoosie Kurtz, who has not gotten out of bed for years and years), the Cute Woman, and the Lying Woman (Jo Harvey Allen) - who continually steals the show with some of the most outrageous comments you've ever heard. The silent masses are just regular people going about their regular lives, most of them the opposite of glamorous, just the kind of folks you probably see in your own local shopping malls. The only difference is that here, thanks to David Byrne, you notice these people - and I think that is very important. When these people get up and lip synch to a song like Wild Wild Life, it doesn't matter how weird they are - they are just having fun being themselves.Of course, the star and central figure of True Stories is a reasonably svelte John Goodman; he plays Louis Fyne, a man desperate to find a woman to share his life with. He pays for ads on television, and even has a Wife Wanted sign in his front yard, but nothing seems to work. This is certainly a character I can identify with. Louis is as excited as everyone else in town over the big doings for Virgil's Celebration of Specialness. And why not? You get to see the world's strangest fashion show, enjoy the big parade featuring such sights as Shriners in little red Mustangs and a precision lawn mower marching team, and end the festivities with a great big local talent show outside of town. The parade speaks volumes; as the townsfolk watch it wind away into the distance, they may well have a sense that life as they have known it will soon disappear as the population swells and modern conveniences trump their connection to one another and the town. Despite a good bit of off-beat humor in this film, it does leave you feeling somewhat sad and nostalgic. Of course, one has to mention the music of True Stories. It is a pity that plans to release a soundtrack featuring recordings by the actors and actresses in the film fell through because these songs are an integral part of the film (the Talking Heads supplied only three of the songs themselves). You can buy the album featuring the Talking Heads performing all of these songs (and it is an outstanding album), but People Like Us seemingly belongs to Louis Fyne after you watch the movie, and "Kay Culver" gives an unforgettable performance of Dream Operator. Inevitably, you'll either "get" this movie or you won't, and I don't think you can predict anyone's reaction to the film until he or she actually watches it. It is exceedingly quirky, almost surreal at times, and filled with off-the-wall comments that will not even register with some viewers. I don't think it's possible to hate this movie, though. It either leaves a lasting imprint on your mind or instantly disappears from your memory. For me, True Stories is one of those rare films that I not only enjoy but actually treasure.
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