New York Times reporter Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) gets the front page but his story turns out to be a false amalgamation of different people. He gets fired in disgrace. Nobody is willing to hire him. Then he gets a call from a local Oregon reporter Pat Frato (Ethan Suplee). Christian Longo (James Franco) has been arrested for the murder of his wife and three children. Unbeknownst to him, Christian has been using his identity. Christian grants him exclusive access.

At no time did I think that Christian is innocent. At best, the circumstance of the murders could be interesting but Franco plays him guilty from the very beginning. With no mystery, the question becomes where the tension of the movie would come from. The theme of truth is useful with Finkel's constant modification of his relationship with the concept. Even there, losing the book deal is not enough to inject the necessary tension. Although the movie floats the idea, Christian is never threatened with release. There is simply no danger of anything. At best, it's a character study but Finkel needs to have a darker treatment. This is an intriguing story that comes to not much.

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.

Sometimes just because an incident is true does not mean it will translate into a good film such is the case here.

True Story stars Jonah Hill as Mike Finkel a passionate journalist who was sacked from the New York Times for embellishing a story.

James Franco plays Christian Longo a man who killed his wife and kids and when arrested on the run in Mexico he had assumed the identity of Mike Finkel.

Is Longo playing a long game in order to rope in a disgraced journalist for his own ends? Did Longo actually murder his own family or is he protecting someone else?

Anyhow the two meet and Finkel sees this way to get himself a lucrative book deal and rehabilitate his reputation. Longo wants an exchange of favours and requires writing tips, is it creative writing?

Obviously this quid pro quo routine brings to mind Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs but Franco is no Anthony Hopkins. In fact despite his Oscar nomination for 127 Hours and presenting the Oscars in 2011 I think he has been caught out as someone who is not that strong an actor and he is certainly not an all round entertainer.

The film needs you to think that Longo has a sinister agenda, something to hide but there is no pay off. There is a clumsy scene where Finkel's girlfriend calls him a narcissist. A disorder that the real life killer suffers from and this was badly crow barred into the film.

The film is badly written and worse still despite being based on real events you know its not all true. Finkel in the film has doubts about Longo and realises he has been used. When the movie ends we are told that both of them still keep regularly in touch.