The Truth About Charlie

Case in point: Johnathan DemmeI watched "The Truth About Charlie," last night. This is a remake of "Charade," a perennial favorite among lovers of Hitchcock-style thrillers. Made in 1963, Charade is something of an artifact, as it seems to have... Read more at imdb.com

This was strange. I had no idea what this film was about as it was a free loan and I just put in the machine, not even reading the back of the box. Well, obviously it didn't take long to... Read more at imdb.com

Cinema is art, therefore is not to be copied. Nobody copies a Picasso or a successful romance, for example. No matter how similar it could be, it would be a copy of an artistic piece without any value. Therefore, remakes... Read more at imdb.com

At a recent Q & A session, director Jonathan Demme said he had a difficult time finding the right tone the film. Having seen the picture, I can tell you -- he still hasn't found it.The movie, a remake of... Read more at imdb.com

REVIEW: The Truth About Charlie, for IMDB, July 13, 2004As "rosscinema" says in a previous post, "Why did they bother?" Well, they bothered for the same reason virtually all Hollywood films are made: to make **MONEY**, lots of MONEY! No... Read more at imdb.com

So Cary grant and Audrey Hepburn are unfortunately dead. That means director Jonathan Demme (`Silence of the Lambs') must find suitable replacements for his remake of `Charade' called `The Truth about Charlie.' Will Smith was his first choice-Mark Wahlberg (`Planet... Read more at imdb.com

'The Truth About Charlie' Is a wholly unnecessary re-take of the Stanley Donen Classic Charade. Mark Wahlberg,is no Cary Grant. Thandie Newton, looks as if she walked In to the wrong production, Tim Robbins, appears as a US embassy official... Read more at imdb.com

I really wanted to like this movie. Jonathan Demme is one of my favorite film makers and I thought if anyone could remake one of my favorite movies of all time, Demme could. Demme couldn't.Newton and Robbins are ok, Wahlberg... Read more at imdb.com

OK, so I didn't waste eight bucks at the box office, nor did I spend four bucks at Blockbuster; luckily, I had credit at Netflix.com so I didn't spend a dime to see this latest of Hollywood remakes. Apparently very... Read more at imdb.com

Mystery films come and go; a precious few stand the test of time. "Charade,' for my money the greatest whodunit ever made, is a masterpiece of tone, miraculously blending the disparate elements of suspense, humor and romance more successfully than... Read more at imdb.com

The changes introduced near the end are actually the first true missteps of the film, but so poorly executed and acted, that they come close to undoing any good thing Demme had built up with such lavish care up to that point. Although I'm not scoring THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE very high because of the elements that make it a flawed endeavor, I still have to give Demme a lot of credit for at least trying to make a great film. ... Full Review

Boisson, who has the confidence and savoir-faire of a weatherbeaten alleycat, is also terrific. Every time Newton goes outside in some gamine designer outfit, and the camera wanders after her, seemingly conjuring up still-beautiful specters from the cinematic past like Parisian sprites, Demme appears to forget what movie he's working on and starts to remake something good, or at least something odd: "Cleo From 5 to 7" or, possibly, "Diva. ... Full Review

But while "Charlie" has some charm and style, and a much more stimulating title, it also fails to invoke the alchemy or the acumen of its inspiration. But in addition to the miscasting of Wahlberg -- whose single-expression good looks don't have the pliancy to seem discernibly trustworthy, deceitful or cryptic -- "The Truth About Charlie" also suffers from a poorly realized climax. ... Full Review

The production design, cinematography, location selection and great music help make "The Truth About Charlie" something new and different for the generations that don't cotton to them old movies. As for "The Truth About Charlie," it is worth the effort and provides it's own level of mirth and thrills for a brand new audience. ... Full Review

Mark's character is charmingly mysterious; he's rock solid and so is Thandie Newton as the recently widowed wife who finds herself in a Parisian mad-capped hunt for both Charlie's killer and the six million he had reportedly stolen. The film suffers from a rocky send off and annoying hand-held camera work. ... Full Review

On screen you and Helena Bonham Carter, who plays an ape, have a certain chemistry.How did you feel about that relationship? Well, Ive always said, she has a lot of the qualities I look for in a woman, aside... ... Full Article

The good news is that the second disc is the original 1963 classic Charade with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. And that is such good news, that it almost is enough to make up for the fact that The Truth... ... Full Article

Some people plan and scheme for years about how to forge a career in the film business.For a lucky few, it's almost a divine accident. ... Full Article

It sounded like a terrible idea on paper: Jonathan The Truth About Charlie Demme remaking John Frankenheimers classic political thriller.Hadnt Demme learned his lesson? ... Full Article

A knowledge of the '60s French New Wave isn't a requirement for viewing Jonathan Demme 's "The Truth About Charlie," but it will definitely enhance the experience. Demme's breezy homage has a stylish, off-the-cuff spontaneity that owes much more to ... Full Article