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Title: WHY DID THEY BOTHER
Review: Sometimes when a director wins an Oscar, as Jonathan Demme deservedly did for SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, it seems that they decide to indulge their own fantasies. Is that the case with TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE? I don't know, but the end result is a real mess. Inspired by the Cary Grant/Audrey Hepburn CHARADE, CHARLIE never really kicks into gear and the performances are all pretty mundane and uninspired. Thandie Newton rolls her eyes and smirks a lot; Mark Wahlberg seems completely out of place and disinterested; and Tim Robbins might as well wear a flag saying DON'T TRUST ME. Add the cameos by Charles Aznavour which come out of the blue completely, a dizzying music video direction style by Demme and a slow, tedious plot and you end up with CHARLIE. Truly a misfire for all involved. Stick with CHARADE and Henry Mancini's timeless score.
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