I rewatched David Byrne's True Stories the other night and its still with me, replaying in my head. This is my romantic cinematic statement for a much bigger romantic cinematic statement.



For those unfamiliar with David Byrne and the film True Stories, it is a deadpan musical-comedy in the style of a documentary. But not like Spinal Tap. We are taken on an odd tour of Virgil, Texas and the story springs from all of Virgil's inhabitants. The film is narrated by the seemingly aloof David Byrne, the front man of first-wave American punk band Talking Heads, who is trying to fit in with the townspeople and their off beat groove. True Stories is Byrne's love letter to yesterday's Americana. He cherishes how slowly paced, flat and plain towns like Virgil are or atleast were. The town is in transition and maybe trying to lose its specialness just to catch up with the world. The worldly Byrne as director and storyteller seems to be saying "No. You are fine the way you are and go at your own pace". Byrne is revealing that he gets his own intellectual high brow ideas from the least likely places like the fictional Virgil, Texas. All of the songs are written by David Byrne but mostly sung by characters in the film. Talking Heads only play 3 songs (1 during the closing credits) but they released an album covering all of the songs from the film as an unofficial soundtrack.



All of Virgil's residents are colorful, friendly but deeply flawed. Their believable humanity is one of the film's strengths. They are all so bizarre and bigger than life, but not so strange that we dismiss the notion of finding them in this world. They all are tied to the large computer corporation in town in different ways. Everyone but David Byrne's character is oblivious to the ways it is changing their lives. The film isn't necessarily opposed to corporatism or technology. It just makes startling discoveries about how it has changed the American landscape. There is one very jarring and powerful musical number about the reality of greed and the huge gap in social classes. Its very interesting because it foreshadows so many of today's hot issues like the "We are the One Percent" and the legacy of Steve Jobs, by a good 25 years.

The tagline fits perfectly: A completely cool, multi-purpose movie. You can take this film as a showcase of 1980s offbeat culture a'la Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Or you can view it as a surrealist piece on late 20th century America. Or if you are a Talking Heads fan, it works as a great companion piece. Its power is flexible and long-lasting. True Stories is, one hopes after watching it, true to life.