Based On Actual Trueness

I love movies that are based on a true story.  I love the fact that it says: "based on a true story."  It does not say "This IS a true story."  In fact, it NEVER says that it is a true story.  The producers of movies know that they have to deliver half-truths.

One of my favourite things to do with movies that are based on a true story is to figure out the elements of the movie which are definitely not true.  There are things they do in movies which are so cliche that it makes me cringe.  They have this formula that they have to do and it blows my mind that they cannot deviate from it.

Somehow it seems to be that the biggest non-truths happen in the climax of the movie.  Here I am attempting to point some out, but I would be spoiling the movie.  So, I will try to use some old examples.

Many years ago there was a movie called White Squall.  It was based on an incident where some boys have a school on a boat and a big storm comes up and wipes them out.  Lives were lost and there is this big courtroom scene at the end and one of the kids holds up this bell that was on the boat.  It was so cheap and lame that it just caused me to lose all the great tension that the movie had.  It took me out of the movie, which violates suspension of disbelief.

Another movie that comes to mind was Hidalgo.  That one was just agonizing.  The horse race across the dessert.  The rescue of the princess or whatever.  The horse...  wow! That was a long time ago and very forgettable.

The Coen brothers did Fargo and they said it was based on a true story at the beginning.  That was a complete lie to begin with, so the joke was on us the whole time.  Coens for the win.

I think there has to be a better disclaimer at the onset.  Let's not use the word "true" or "actual".  How about we say something like: "You are watching a movie so don't hold us accountable for anything that is going to happen in it.  Some names belong to living or dead people.  So what!  It's a movie!"

Actually, there is a disclaimer that goes a lot like that: "...If you are wondering how he eats and breathes and other science facts, repeat to yourself 'It's just a show.' So breathe and just relax."