'True Story' takeaway: Is it really a true story?

Still from True Story (Image via IMDb)
Still from True Story (Image via IMDb)

True Story is funnyman Kevin Hart's drama project that released on Netflix on November 24. It has been created by Eric Newman, known for being the showrunner for Narcos and directed by Stephen Williams and Hanelle M. Culpepper. The cast of True Story also includes Wesley Snipes, Paul Adelstein, William Catlett, and others.

The thriller mini-series runs for seven episodes and the protagonist Kid, played by Kevin Hart bears some similarities to Hart. This keeps viewers guessing whether True Story is based on Hart's real life.


'True Story' synopsis (Spoilers ahead)

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The plot of True Story revolves around brothers Kid (Kevin Hart) and Carlton (Wesley Snipes) who are trapped in a series of misadventures after a night of partying. Carlton is Kid's freeloading older brother who always brings in trouble. This time around it's no different, and a girl winds up dead in Kid's bed.

To help cover up the situation and protect Kid, Carlton seeks help from his associate Ari (Billy Zane), who is a Greek fixer. Ari disposes of the body saying "no body, no crime" and begins extorting Kid for six million dollars.

Kid, a self-made man, is continually distressed about people taking things from him. In a heated moment, he chokes Ari to death. However, instead of wiping the slate clean, the murder opens doors to more problems.

In order to navigate this downward spiral, Kid and Carlton unintentionally create more problems to eliminate previous ones. The series is saturated with predictable plot twists and well-worn elements of suspense.

True Story finally comes to an anticlimactic end with Carlton's true story coming to light and Kid killing four men.


Is 'True Story' based on real events?

The short answer is not at all. Despite the title of the show, Kevin Hart has never killed four men or woken up with a dead woman in his bed. However, what makes fans assume that there are some autobiographical elements in True Story are due to the character's similarities with Hart.

Like Kid, Kevin Hart was raised in Philadelphia and had a troubled older brother. This led to conflicts between him and his brother, though the two have long since reconciled. Much like the protagonist, Hart is also a successful stand-up comedian, actor, and self-made star.

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Edited by Siddharth Satish