TRUE STORIES -- by naudy (9)

This movie makes me happy. David Bryne is the lead singer for The Talking Heads and narrator / country-western-suit-wearing observer of this movie about a typical Texas town during the sesqui- centennial. Since I grew up in a typical Texas town during the sesqui- centennial (look! I can spell sesqui- centennial!) it makes me happy. But, more than that, I love this movie because there is a lot of strange stuff and Mr. Bryne just observes it. There's never any lambasting or opinion or judgement, he just watches it all, nods his head, and drives on in his privately-owned red convertable.

Incidentally there are also some really great Talking Heads songs in this movie, as well as a fabulous John Goodman, the best fashion show -- EVER!!!, and a mojo man. If you watch there are subtle commentaries on race relations and class distinctions as well as economic breakdowns in typical Texas which I almost missed because they seem so normal to me. To Mr. Bryne, though, they're totally alien, and it's through his quiet accepting eyes we see how strange and familiar True Stories can be.