The Truth About Charlie

Director Jonathan Demme says Charade (1963) is one of his favorite movies. Well, you always hurt the one you love. With co-writers Steve Schmidt, Peter Stone and Jessica Bendinger, Demme takes a whack at a remake and mucks it up completely. Mark Wahlberg (in Cary Grant’s old role) is horribly miscast, but he’s only the scab on a putrefying wound; performances are all terrible. Even Thandie Newton, in Audrey Hepburn’s role, is shrill and stiff. Inertly paced, with sloppy video-style camera work, the whole film looks like it was pieced together with shots fished out of a garbage can. (And what genius decided to give away the plot on the poster?) Don’t go near this travesty until you’ve rented the original and savored its style and suspense. Then, see this one if you must and satisfy your curiosity.