Based On a True Story? or Really a True Story?

It's <<very>> loosely based on the memoirs of Neil McCormick. In an interview he said the movie producers liked the story but said it needed a "third act", so they added all the stuff that happened towards the end (him getting kidnapped by the gangster, going after Bono with a gun, etc). McCormick said it's a different version of the truth, but it tells the same story he had in mind.

The director says in the DVD bonus "It is crucial to know that this is not a true story." They just had fun with it, and this is what they got. I agree with you, it's really funny and one of my favorite rock 'n roll films of the last 10 years.

Btw, McCormick says the part about him cheating on Gloria with the record exec's wife was totally made up, but he still got in a lot of trouble with his girlfriend Gloria over it because she told him, "It's just the sort of thing you *would've* done!" Haha.

Based on Neil's book Killing Bono: I Was Bono's Doppleganger.

Infinitely better and generally funnier than the film.