That's Not How It Went Down

Is that all? Maybe not... Miranda Priestley's presence on various lists of the best movie villains may seem unconventional but it's safe to assume it wouldn't be the case were it not for the clout of Meryl Streep. And to a lesser extent, the rest of the cast have allowed this film to endure longer than many may have expected. But the fact the original story here was penned by someone who experienced a similar workplace culture in the world of fashion means much more of this villainy may have existed prior to Streep's ingenious touch. How demanding was this woman? Was Nigel her loyal companion? And are high heels compulsory in high fashion magazine offices? Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could the world's greatest underdog story really be about… a horse? With the United States reeling from the hammer blow of the Great Depression, millions found themselves out of work and out of luck. But with the appearance in the mid-30s of an unusual steed with crooked legs and "baseball glove knees" the American public found the unlikeliest of heroes. Whilst Seabiscuit may not be considered the most natural racehorse of all time, his ability to dig in and come through in times of struggle catapulted him and his team to stardom at a time when people needed him most. And what of the Oscar-nominated movie that told the story of the three most influential men in Seabiscuit's life? Can it really be said that this underdog story is true? Where did Tom Smith discover Seabiscuit? Was Red Pollard truly so accident-prone? And can a horse really have an autograph?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After cementing his place in the action/thriller genre with an Oscar for his performance as the corrupt Alonzo Harris, Denzel Washington began a period of starring in an action film almost every year for the next decade and a half. Whilst always brilliant in whatever he does, there is one film from this collection that is held in a similar regard to 2001's Training Day, and it's probably unsurprising that it shares similar themes. As we found with Catch Me If You Can, stories that end with cooperation between a criminal and their pursuer can sometimes be exaggerated but so long as you stick to the theatrical cut of this film, we can keep our focus on the journey that leads to this conclusion. Did Frank Lucas really establish the 'Cadaver Connection'? How much of Ritchie Roberts' actions actually occurred? And was there money under the doghouse..? Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They say that a man's best friend is his dog. But surely a filmmaker's best bet is to avoid our four-legged pals. The danger of unpredictability, lack of potty training and a tendency to lean into the sentimentality of pet owning are surely all reasons to steer clear of a canine-centric picture. The challenge of movies like Turner & Hooch, Air Bud and Beethoven all providing evidence that you can't teach an old dog new tricks... but what about a new one? John Grogan's smash-hit memoir "Marley & Me", which spent an incredible 76 weeks on the bestseller chart telling the story of "the worst dog in the world", was hounded down by movie execs and turned into a surprise Christmas hit in 2008. But how accurate to history can a comedy starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston really be? Was Marley actually known as "Clearance Dog"? Were they kicked out of puppy training sessions? And what's the best way to clean a gold necklace?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here we are again. The Warrens - this time back on US soil after virtually zero involvement in Enfield - become major instigators, rather than investigators, in the explanation for the brutal murder of Alan Bono in 1981. Again, this film retelling is determined to showcase the brilliant work the Warrens did and the help they offered to poor suffering souls in need of demonic liberation, but again again, when we remove the testimony of these two (insert synonym of choice for 'charlatans'), what are we left with? Even after a Netflix documentary containing interviews from the people affected was released in 2023, there is still more to uncover in what is undoubtedly the least scary film of the franchise so far. Did Ed Warren have a heart attack? What actually happened in court? And who on earth wants a second hand waterbed?! Join us to find out on That's Not How It Went Down! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.