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The Truth About Charlie
User Score
4.1 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 5 out of 9

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  1. James
    Jun 7, 2006
    0
    Appalling. It's not like there wasn't a formula for the makers of this pointless remake to follow, the original worked, it could have been updated, if not equalled. Instead, Demme throws out everything that made the original great - romance, humor, suspense, intelligent pacing, all so he can make a movie that seems to parody mainstream genre films and act as a self-satisfied exercise in "New Wave" mimicry. Except the "New Wave" films were just that, new, they were doing something original. Demme's film seems an excuse for him to enjoy working in Paris, it certainly isn't coherent. Plot elements are raised, then forgotten, and what on earth is the crazy mother who murders people doing here, is this a comedy? And the finale, in which the characters seem to lose interest in the mystery, just as the audience has done by this point. Moronic. The definition of the pointless remake, makes Gos Van Sant's "Psycho" seem creative and original. Garbage.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. JasonZ.
    Apr 23, 2003
    3
    Wow. This is movie is awful. Demme is completely out of his element and can't redeem a poor remake of a classic film. The acting (especially Tim Robbins) is pitiful and the dialogue preserved from the original just does not stand the test of time. The one positive is the film's soundtrack which is catchy, funky, and just about the only thrilling element of this suppose "thrill ride". Stay away. Thandy and Marky Mark are serious eye-candy, but even that won't help you stay awake.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. Jeremy
    Apr 6, 2003
    9
    Well-paced and tightly-wound, this fits the bill as weekend entertainment. Though it doesn't approximate the original (which you can actually get on the DVD) "Charade", it is nonetheless a deserving film. Just as in the original, the star really is the city itself--the plot is secondary.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. KenG.
    Jan 28, 2004
    3
    It is very difficult for me to elaborate on Jason Z.'s review (fellow "user") as, almost word for word, it is what I would have written, but I will state that any chemistry that could have been generated between Mark and Thandie is doused by Demme's quirky direction, and what the heck is up with that (seemingly) 15 minute showdown in the rain?
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. Wackyman
    Feb 7, 2004
    1
    An insult to the original.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  6. JohnS.
    Aug 31, 2007
    10
    It was a good movie not as good as the original but pretty good on its own.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  7. MikeG.
    Oct 25, 2002
    4
    Silly and unbelievable. This movie was just a mess. Also, I've never seen so many people get up and leave while it was still playing. The plot was all over the place and just plain confusing. I think Demme (dir) threw in tricks (lighting, film speed, etc.) to try and save the story. It totally didn't work.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  8. David
    Apr 22, 2003
    2
    Rent this movie on DVD-- so you can see "Charade", thoughtfully included as the B-side. Unfortunately, "Charade" should be the A-side so you don't get tricked into sitting through "The Truth About Charlie" first. The story is completely unbelievable, plot points are brought up and then just dropped for no apparent reason, and the director seems to be having such a good time in Paris that he forgot that he is supposed to be telling a story. Skip it and see "Charade" instead.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
55 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 35 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 35
  3. Negative: 2 out of 35
  1. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: A.O. Scott
    60
    You may be taken by the director's enormous enthusiasm, but the picture doesn't quite work.
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  2. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Desson Thomson
    50
    Newton may not be a great actor, either, but she's full of life and charm. She's the only thing holding this movie together at all.
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  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    80
    Dazzlingly nimble and light on its feet, this breezy but densely textured love letter to modern, multicultural Paris in the guise of a romantic suspenser returns its director to the vibrant vein of his pre-Oscar work in "Something Wild" and "Married to the Mob."
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