Director David Byrne (of Talking Heads) takes an outside-looking-in glance at Texas and Texans in True Stories. Casting himself as the protagonist/narrator, Byrne adopts what he thinks is "standard" western garb and drives his red convertible into the small town of Virgil. Here he observes the town's preparations for celebrating Texas' sesquicentennial, taking time out to introduce us to several of the local oddballs. Swoosie Kurtz plays Miss Rollings, the Laziest Woman in the World; Alix Elias
is The Cute Woman, who decorates her home in the most hideously "sweet" manner imaginable; John Goodman is talent-contest entrant Louis Fyne, who harbors dreams of being a C&W star; Spalding Gray is Earl Culver, a vegetable-obsessed civic leader; Jo Harvey Allen is The Lying Woman; and so it goes. The script by Southerners Byrne, Beth Henley and Steven Tobolowksy strives to avoid subtlety. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Byrne has made his version of Our Town for the 1980s, a glorification of commonplace--and kitch--and the resilient, inventive spirit of ordinary Americans wherever they are.
A quirky, comic and insightful look at "Americana" through the eyes of one of the musical geniuses of our lifetime, Mr. David Byrne. Sountrack by Talking Heads. What more could you ask for?
February 25, 2008
Robert C
Super Reviewer
Quirky is right! Some of it rings of truth. I liked the songs about watching too much television, corporate religions and the kids in a suburban wasteland. The family dinner table communication rituals were bizarre. There is some nice imagery about American oblivion. I felt empty after watching a society so bent, but
was never bored. Michael Moore and Christopher Guest probably drew some inspiration from some of this.
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