The Truth About Charlie
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Thandie Newton

Directed by Jonathan Demme
Rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual content/nudity

** out of 4 Stars

Released October 25, 2002

Running time: 104 minutes

**

by Kevin Lang

"The Truth About Charlie," directed by Jonathan Demme ("The Silence of the Lambs," 1991) and starring Mark Wahlberg ("Planet of the Apes," 2001) and Thandie Newton ("Mission: Impossible II," 2000) was a mediocre film that significantly paled in comparison to the 1963 original, "Charade," directed by Stanley Donen and starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant.

From the moment I learned that there was going to be a remake, I knew that it would be a daunting task for any director. Jonathan Demme, whose previous work included such films as "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) and "Philadelphia" (1993), failed to capture the style, suspense, romance, intrigue, and playful fun of the original. Instead, his film was a flat, drawn out, and ultimately uninspired update of a classic.

The story surrounded Regina Lampert (Thandie Newton) who returned home to Paris from a vacation to discover that her home had been stripped of its furnishings and that her husband Charlie was dead. On her vacation she had met Joshua Peters (Mark Wahlberg) who arrived back in Paris with her where they bumped into each other again. He protected her from the three strange men who followed her, yet as a romance blossomed between the two, Regina grew weary of Joshua's intentions as well. Was he also after the six million dollars that her husband had hid somewhere? At the same time, Mr. Bartholomew (Tim Robbins), whom she thought was the only one that she could trust, was also watching her.

Demme, who also wrote the updated screenplay, adapting it from Peter Stone's original version, made several changes to the film. The most obvious change was the ending, which was more confusing and as a result less suspenseful. It's where everything was supposed to come together; but it came together so choppily and confusingly that the intense emotions that the characters were feeling were unrealized by the audience, and I found myself not even caring enough about the movie to attempt to figure them out. I only fully understood what was going on from having seen "Charade."

Perhaps the biggest challenge and ultimately impossible aspect of the film to replicate was the acting. Thandie Newton and Mark Wahlberg attempted to reprise roles that had been previously played by two of the greatest actors to ever grace the screen, Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, who could hold our attention by their mere presence alone. Watching "The Truth About Charlie" was like watching a black and white version of "Charade." Without the original cast, the film lost much of its vibrancy. Even Tim Robbins could not replicate Walter Matthau's performance as Mr. Bartholomew. Robbins delivered a ridiculous and at times laughable version of this character.

In the end I was left wondering why anyone would even attempt to redo this film. Why doesn't Hollywood focus more on creating new stories instead of failing to top or even come close to the originals? "Mr. Deeds," "Planet of the Apes," (2001), and other remakes provide ample evidence to support this question. Of course, then again, it only makes the originals look that much better.

Review written October 24, 2002, CTF.