History Film / TrueStories

* TheBear: Louis Fyne (Creator/JohnGoodman) states numerous times he has a very consistent "panda bear" shape.
** Louis' CatchPhrase: "RAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWR!"
* BlatantLies: Signature trope of the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aptly-named]] Lying Woman. For example, she claims to have dated the real Franchise/{{Rambo}} and wrote [[Music/MichaelJackson "Billie Jean"]] as well as half of Music/ElvisPresley's songs.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Although Byrne's character, and others, break the fourth wall throughout, there is an additional lean prior to the "Wild Wild Life" musical number when Byrne says, "Maybe you saw it on television, or maybe you missed it." The "Wild Wild Life" segment was used as a music video to promote ''True Stories'' on MTV, etc. prior to the film's release.

* MundaneMadeAwesome: The town celebrates the anniversary as "150 Years of Specialness."
** InsistentTerminology: The Narrator and people of Virgil pronounce it "Special'''''ness'''''".

* NoNameGiven: Save for the Culvers, Louis and a couple minor characters, most characters in the film are never actually identified by name.
** Also the narrator, unless you count [[https://youtu.be/mhRgCsQf3CU the trailer]] as canon, in which case he introduces himself [[AsHimself as David Byrne.]]

* PopCultureOsmosis: The band Music/{{Radiohead}} takes its name from the song of the same name in the film.

* RagsToRiches: The woman whose stocks in [=VariCorp=] skyrocketed just as computers became a major business.

->'''A Completely Cool, Multi-Purpose Movie'''

* DrivingADesk: The Narrator is seen driving a lot. In one scene, he steers up and and down.

* ImpossiblyTackyClothes / NiceHat: The TropeCodifier. It has a '''fashion show of nothing but Impossibly Tacky Clothes'''. Suits made of grass turf is just the starter. Ends with bridal gowns with headpieces about a dozen feet high - one causes a poor old woman to topple off the stage. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqCp_cmQ-IE Has to be seen to be believed.]]

''True Stories'' is a {{Mockumentary}} co-written and directed by and starring Music/TalkingHeads frontman Music/DavidByrne. Byrne plays a WideEyedIdealist who visits the fictional town of Virgil, Texas for its Sesquicentennial of the founding of the town and the state of Texas.

-->'''Earl:''' (Computer engineers) don't work for money anymore, but to earn a place in heaven, which was a big motivating factor once upon a time, believe you me. They are working and inventing because they like it! Economics has become a spiritual thing. I must admit it frightens me a little bit. They don't seem to see the difference between working and not working. It's all become a part of one's life. Linda! Larry! There's no concept of weekends anymore!

* AuthorAppeal: The film features 50 sets of twins. Why? David Byrne wanted them.

* TheBear: Louis Fyne (John Goodman) states numerous times he has a very consistent "panda bear" shape.

* SocietyMarchesOn: Shockingly, no. Aside from some obvious cultural references that were current at the time the film was make, otherwise the film is not dated at all. Even when Earl Culver (played by Spalding Gray) talks about his employees, DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything

* WideEyedIdealist: Byrne's character UpToEleven. For example, he gazes at some ugly tract housing and muses, "Who's to say it's not beautiful?" When he points at the [=VariCorp=] facility, he comments it's a convenient shape - a box.
* YourMindMakesItReal: Sort of. The credits close with the line: '''"IF YOU CAN THINK OF IT, IT EXISTS SOMEWHERE"'''

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/truestories.JPG]]

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness" Miss Rollings ''gets out of bed'' to call the talent show after seeing Louis' performance.

* AcCENTUponTheWrongSylLABle: The Narrator calls the talent show a "Celebration of special-NESS".

* TastesLikeDiabetes: [[invoked]] In-universe, The Cute Woman just goes batshit crazy over cute and fluffy things. When Louis describes his song on a date with her, she remarks the song is "kinda sad", and that ruins the date.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: That's band member Jerry Harrison pretending to be {{Prince}} during "Wild Wild Life".

* BlatantLies: Signature trope of the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aptly-named]] Lying Woman. For example, she claims to have dated the real {{Rambo}} and wrote [[Music/MichaelJackson "Billie Jean"]] as well as half of Music/ElvisPresley's songs.

''True Stories'' is a {{Mockumentary}} starring and directed by Music/TalkingHeads frontman Music/DavidByrne. Byrne plays a WideEyedIdealist who visits the fictional town of Virgil, Texas for its Sesquicentennial of the founding of the town and the state of Texas.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Although much of the philosophy spouted in the film remains current (see SocietyMarchesOn, above), as a film set in 1986 (indeed, the film is explicitly set during Texas' real-life sesquicentennial celebrations in 1986) there are numerous aspects that are of the era. Examples include computers, the mid-1980s TV commercials, and the discussion of shopping mall culture.

** CatchPhrase: "RAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWR!"

* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Quite a few characters are called "The Lying Woman", "The Computer Guy", "The Cute Woman", and so forth.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: That's band member Jerry Harrison pretending to be {{Prince}}.

* SocietyMarchesOn: Shockingly, no. The film is not dated at all. Even when Earl Culver (played by Spalding Gray) talks about his employees, DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything

* FollowTheLeader: The film is sort of an ersatz ''Film/{{Nashville}}''.

* TheCastShowoff: John Goodman belts out his country song "People Like Us".

* BlatantLies: Signature trope of the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aptly-named]] Lying Woman. For example, she claims to have dated the real {{Rambo}} and wrote [[MichaelJackson "Billy Jean"]] as well as half of ElvisPresley's songs.

* QuirkyTown: Pretty much the entire theme of the film is just how quirky one town can be.