Rating: 
Summary: not what i was hoping for...
Review: i've always been a fan of talking heads and have tried to follow up on david byrne through the years. for some strange reason, i never saw this film when it was playing in the theatres and i am just now seeing it for the first time on dvd. while true stories certainly did have some humorous moments and there are some great ones here, the film never really rises to our expectations of either a great campy musical and/ or good comedy. after the film is over, you almost feel as though you've wasted a full 90 minutes which you can't ever get back. the music here recorded by david byrne and talking heads ofcourse is great and certainly collectible but i would recommend renting this dvd before purchasing a copy for the personal library. i'm sure i will not get too many helpful votes on this one as it appears the film has garnered some very positive reviews thus far but i simply thought the film silly and pretentious at best. john goodman gives an acceptable performance as a single man who's greatest hope in life is to be happily married but none of the actors here offer us oscar caliber performances. you are better off seeing the other vehicle for david byrne called stop making sense if you like the talking heads.
Rating: 
Summary: One of my favorite movies of all-time
Review: This movie is wonderful, and classic David Byrne -- weird, funny, and fun, with offbeat social commentary to boot.
Rating:
Summary: Byrne's Loveable Musical Excursion
Review: A post modern musical collage, this is one of those films you either love or hate. To those like myself who don't mind an occassional quirky film that doesn't follow standard plot elements, this is a treasure. With odd middle American characters breaking into joyous Talking Head numbers, there is something none but the most cynical among us won't like. It is also deeply funny if you consider the characters: The lonely overweight computer engineer (John Goodman) who uses technology to seek a wife (this movie is pre-internet mind you), the equally lonely television dependent millionairess who never leaves her majestic suburban Texas home or bed for that matter, or the cheerful middle class couple who haven't spoken to eachother in years using their kids to communicate and many others. Byrne treats his characters and the monotonous Texas town with the boarded-up-mainstreet-but-burgeoning-tech-sector with equal parts ridicule and affection. They are exaggerated representations of the Middle America we all know and love (or hate). The film is also a commentary on how technology and the media have forever negatively altered our social linkages. I loved it nonetheless.
Rating: 
Summary: Really, Really Crummy...
Review: Understand that I am a fan of David Byrne's music. Talking Heads has long been one of my favorite bands. I also count Stop Making Sense among the top concert documentaries of all time. True Stories, though, is just really, really crummy.Sometime during the 80's Byrne apparently concluded that he was a Renaissance man who could take on any creative medium. Though he was a kickass bandleader and entertainer, this film shows that he was clearly not a screenwriter, director, or actor. The ideas behind the film had potential, but the actual product is weak, dull, contrived, and amateurish - basically a student film. A few earnest performances by real actors (primarily John Goodman) only serve to emphasize how bad the other elements are. At 89 minutes it's about 84 minutes too long. It contains one fun mini-video of Wild Wild Life, one clever line spoken by Byrne's character, and one good joke about Texas. That's it. Buy this video only on the assumption that you'll watch it once and then give it away (to someone you don't like very much).
Rating: 
Summary: Ahead of itsTime...
Review: When David Byrne conceived of this movie idea he was probably believing that he was only slightly ahead of his audience. Unfortunatrly, he was years ahead of them in terms of technology, music, and ideology. It's a wonderful film, a scathing indictment of the negative changes rampent technology was bringing on simple people... and a study on the price of loneliness on everyone. But, it no doubt did not catch on to an audience that was overpowered by the visuals and ideas in this movie. The music is simply wonderful, the children singing "Hey Now" in a field that is being taken over by urban sprawl is worth the price of the movie alone. Talking heads interject several times with shameless music videos. And characters in the movie sing Talking Heads songs... in voices that were made from you and me. This movie, in which David Byrne makes his directorial debut Byrne tours us around the town of Virgil, Texas, and introduces us to the citizens of that town, their interests, their industry, and their shopping mall. John Goodman's character looks for a love.. and it all ends in a talent show that was wonderfully edited and gave it a sense of excitment. Goodman doesn't sing too bad, either. In my opinion this was one of the top Rock and Roll movies ever made (it should be noted that the best Rock and Roll Concert Documentry is "Stop Making Sense" also by the Talking Heads.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing to add really, but . . .
Review: Why does anyone listen to Leonard Maltin, and why does Amazon put his screeds online? How anyone can watch this film and come away without a smile and soft spot in their heart is beyond me.
Rating:
Summary: Eerily prophetic - social commentary on how alike are we all
Review: I found a lot to love in this "satire" - which it must be, as that is what everyone else says and even David Byrne supposedly took it from odd newspaper articles. But what I saw was a brilliant commentary on how much alike we all are in our different little costumes. Haven't you known married couples who don't talk to each other? Someone who lies all the time? Someone looking for love? We know all these people, but in varying and unique expressions. I think David Byrne hit it right on the head - we ARE the citizens of Virgil, Texas. Every last lovable one of us, including Leonard Maltin. By the way, I have to watch it again, but did anyone else see scenes involving skyscrapers disturbingly like the world trade centers? Something about confusing money and love.... Well I guess it's one of those movies you have to watch again and again. Like a great painting, we invest our perspective into it and make it our own.
Rating:
Summary: True Stories VHS
Review: Would have given it 5 stars if not for the poor editing.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Fabulous!
Review: Wow! It's great to see so many good reviews! I just had to add mine, too. I loved this movie. The movie was very matter-of-fact. It really let you make your own decisions about the characters. It was refreshing after all of the movies I've seen that stereotype people and try to make you feel this way or that. True Stories was simple in the most beautiful way. I've seen this movie many times, and everytime I watch it, I get butterflies in my stomach!
Rating:
Summary: The impact of late '80s technological advances
Review: True Stories is Rick's favorite film ever. The quirky and dead-pan David Byrne narrates this film full of great music and beautiful cinematography. The film witnesses technology's impact on the small town. There is suburban development, the interstate highway system, high-tech running shoes, and a new chip fabrication factory. The film is pleasant in it's optimistic impartiality towards these developments. The world around us is changing, but what makes us human isn't. If you can appreciate a film for it's music, beauty, and interesting view points on the ordinary...check this one out.
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