. True Story 2015 American drama thriller directed by Rupert Gould and screenwriters Rupert Gould and David Kaiganich. Filmed on the basis of the book "True Story: Murder, Memoir" The real Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) is an ambitious and successful reporter in New York. But after a conflict with the editor-in-chief, regarding his last article, in which he invented a tragic story about a boy who did not actually exist, and took the basis for it from the questions of three people with a difficult life situation, instead of writing everything as yes, and after the requests he made to explain why he did it, he is asked to write a rebuttal in the New York Times magazine and fired. He returns home to his wife Jill Barker (Felicity Jones) and tries his best to find a job as a journalist due to his public dismissal from The Times. Finkel is contacted by an Oregonian reporter who wants to know his opinion about Christian Longo's identity theft. Finkel, who did not know about Longo's case, is intrigued and arranges a meeting with Longo in prison. During his first conversation, Longo claims that he followed Finkel throughout his career and always admired his writing style. Longo agrees to tell Finkel about his crimes, for which he is accused, if Finkel will give writing lessons and promises not to tell about their conversations until the murder trial is over. Finkel is increasingly interested in Longo, who does not admit his guilt. Convinced that the story will be redemptive, Finkel visits Longo in prison and writes to him for several months. Longo sends numerous letters to Finkel, as well as an eighty-page notebook called Wrong Turns, which contains what Longo describes as a list of mistakes he has made in his life. Finkel begins to recognize similarities between Longo and himself, their handwriting and drawing, as well as Longo's writings and Finkel's personal journals. As the trial approaches, Finkel increasingly doubts that Longo is guilty of the murders, and Longo informs Finkel that he intends to change his testimony to plead not guilty. In court, Longo pleaded not guilty to the two murders, but admitted to the murder of his wife and one of his daughters. Finkel confronts Longo, who says he can't share everything he knows because he has to protect certain people, whom he refuses to name. Greg Hanly (Robert John Burke), the detective who tracked down Longo and arrested him, approaches Finkel and claims that Longo is an extremely dangerous and manipulative person. He tries to convince Finkel to hand over his entire correspondence with Longo as evidence. Finkel refuses, and Hanly does not give him an explanation. At the trial, Longo describes his version of events in detail. He claims that after a dispute with his wife about their financial situation, he returned home and saw his two children missing, one of his daughters unconscious, and his wife, sobbing, saying that she was putting the children "in the water." Longo said that he strangled his wife to death in a blind rage. He said that he thought that his second daughter was dead, but then he realized that she was still breathing and strangled her because she was dying. Finkel's wife, Jill, watched Longo testify. During the meeting, Jill visits Longo in prison and tells him that he is a narcissistic killer who will never escape from himself. Longo was found guilty of all four charges and sentenced to death. After he was sentenced, he winks at Finkel, who realizes in shock and fury that Longo has been lying to him throughout all the conversations and used him to make his testimony more believable. After some time, Finkel meets Longo in the death row. Longo tries to convince Finkel that when he came home he discovered that his wife had strangled his daughter, and then everything died down, so he does not remember the murders. Finkel angrily tells Longo that he will no longer believe his lies and will warn the judge when Longo appealed his verdict about Longo's manipulative nature. Longo counters, pointing out that the success Finkel had with the book about their meetings left the reporter shocked.
