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Craig Younkin
Movie Review
The Truth About Charlie
By Craig Younkin Published November 11, 2002
US Release: October 25, 2002
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Thandie Newton , Tim Robbins
PG-13
Running Time: 104 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $5,303,000
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Thandie Newton , Tim Robbins
PG-13
Running Time: 104 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $5,303,000
D+
A mystery that aims low
The Truth About Charlie is a remake of a 1963 film called Charade. I haven't seen that film, but see on imdb.com that it is part mystery, part romance, and part comedy?
That's odd because only one of those three things are displayed in director Jonathan Demme's retelling, and even that isn't done that well. The script (by him and three other writers) is a train wreck that hardly ever entices the viewer. His only real attempt at injecting some life into it is through pop music during the chases, and using Aznavour tunes during the romantic scenes. His cinematographer, Tak Fujimoto, also adds some unique camera shots to the proceedings but all this can't save the movie.
The story is about Regina (Thandie Newton), a woman who discovers that her husband (Charles) is not the man she thought he was. Upon returning from a vacation, she is told by French police that her husband is dead, stole six million dollars in diamonds and that she is actually the prime suspect in the murder investigation. More characters come out of the woodwork later, including Mr. Batholamew (Tim Robbins), a man working for the U.S Embassy who wants to help Regina find the money, three people (Ted Levine, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Joong Hoon Park) Charlie screwed over, and finally Joshua Peters (Mark Wahlberg), the only person Regina thinks she can trust.
This all blends into a big, messy, convoluted mystery filled with plot twists, character twists, red herrings, and so much more although intrigue misses the boat. It seems like the only objective this movie had was to keep pumping crap into the plot, never slowing down to give us a shred of character development nor coherence. Every character in this movie exists only so that the movie can change who they are later on in a constant "I fooled you" sort of way. That would be fine if they were interesting, but all they are is plot devices.
The main character isn't much better. If you said you were selling surf boards in the middle of the North Pole, chances are Regina would believe you without the slightest bit of pause. Thandie Newton in a confused, vulnerable performance makes you understand the character's need for someone to lean on, but even she can't overshadow the fact that Regina steps into some of the most obvious of black holes one or two many times.
The biggest is Joshua, who just shows up out of nowhere after she meets him on vacation. As played by Mark Wahlberg, Joshua looks like a scary Brooklyn hood that you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Too bad, because he is supposed to be the romantic lead in this. Needless to say, the truth about the Wahlberg/Newton romance is that it sucks. The Truth About Charlie also wraps up with an absurd ending that will have you thinking back trying to piece everything together, but don't even try. Charlie is a mystery that aims low, and our appreciation of it when it ends probably goes even lower.
That's odd because only one of those three things are displayed in director Jonathan Demme's retelling, and even that isn't done that well. The script (by him and three other writers) is a train wreck that hardly ever entices the viewer. His only real attempt at injecting some life into it is through pop music during the chases, and using Aznavour tunes during the romantic scenes. His cinematographer, Tak Fujimoto, also adds some unique camera shots to the proceedings but all this can't save the movie.
The story is about Regina (Thandie Newton), a woman who discovers that her husband (Charles) is not the man she thought he was. Upon returning from a vacation, she is told by French police that her husband is dead, stole six million dollars in diamonds and that she is actually the prime suspect in the murder investigation. More characters come out of the woodwork later, including Mr. Batholamew (Tim Robbins), a man working for the U.S Embassy who wants to help Regina find the money, three people (Ted Levine, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Joong Hoon Park) Charlie screwed over, and finally Joshua Peters (Mark Wahlberg), the only person Regina thinks she can trust.
This all blends into a big, messy, convoluted mystery filled with plot twists, character twists, red herrings, and so much more although intrigue misses the boat. It seems like the only objective this movie had was to keep pumping crap into the plot, never slowing down to give us a shred of character development nor coherence. Every character in this movie exists only so that the movie can change who they are later on in a constant "I fooled you" sort of way. That would be fine if they were interesting, but all they are is plot devices.
The main character isn't much better. If you said you were selling surf boards in the middle of the North Pole, chances are Regina would believe you without the slightest bit of pause. Thandie Newton in a confused, vulnerable performance makes you understand the character's need for someone to lean on, but even she can't overshadow the fact that Regina steps into some of the most obvious of black holes one or two many times.
The biggest is Joshua, who just shows up out of nowhere after she meets him on vacation. As played by Mark Wahlberg, Joshua looks like a scary Brooklyn hood that you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Too bad, because he is supposed to be the romantic lead in this. Needless to say, the truth about the Wahlberg/Newton romance is that it sucks. The Truth About Charlie also wraps up with an absurd ending that will have you thinking back trying to piece everything together, but don't even try. Charlie is a mystery that aims low, and our appreciation of it when it ends probably goes even lower.
Craig's Grade: D+
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
| A | 10.9% | |
| B | 41.8% | |
| C | 31.8% | |
| D | 15.3% | |
| F | 0.3% |
