The Truth About Charlie

In the Unnecessary Remake Hall of Fame, 2002's THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE unfortunately ranks fairly high.  1963's CHARADE is a gem.  This one.....My interest in this movie was close to nil for several years, until I decided to become a Jonathan Demme completist.  Hearing some of his interviews with the likes of Charlie Rose fostered a bit more; the writer/director was very high on this project, really convinced he could bring something new to this tale.  Demme was a positive guy, and it's hard not be inspired by his enthusiasm, which I wish I shared for this picture.

Paris, France.  Regina (Thandie Newton) has just discovered her husband of a mere three months, Charlie (Stephen Dillane) has been murdered.  Almost immediately, Commandant Dominique (Christine Boisson) and cronies are on her like white on rice.  Several others, too, including a trio of shadowy types who think she's hoarding the money Charlie owed them.  Yes, Charlie was not who he seemed to be, rather a criminal with multiple aliases and questionable contacts.   Was the suspiciously friendly Joshua Peters (Mark Wahlberg), with whom Regina ignites a spark or two, one of them? What about the mysterious American (Tim Robbins) who warns her that she is in danger, and should trust him, etc.?

The plot gets mighty complex.  By the finale, I was almost laughing in disbelief.  Partially at my own apathy.  But the original didn't live or die on its screenplay, as no film really should, especially with a director of Demme's caliber.   The early going was encouraging.  The title sequence, designed by frequent collaborator Pablo Ferro, was fun.  Just seeing the Clinico Estetico credit made me expect another of the director's fun quirky comedies ala MARRIED TO THE MOB.  While THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE has a similar vibe (and curiously, some similar scenes to MTTM), it's too long and messy to really be successful.

Demme tries.  There's no doubt that he "directed the hell out of this" as someone said online.   The film is bouncy and fun at times, with plenty of in-jokes for fans of the director and French New Wave films (with some amusing cameos).  But the decision to ape those movies' style, merged with the crap look so common to early '00s Hollywood leaves it all just exhausting and confused.  This is not cinematographer Tak Fujimoto's (another longtime collaborator of the director) finest hour.  Rarely have I seen a film be so colorful and dull simultaneously.  It does at least sport a refreshingly un-cynical tone.

Newton is beautiful, playful, and a good choice to fill Audrey Hepburn's graceful shoes.   But Wahlberg is charmless and boring.  Never believable as any of the individuals he's playing here.