Not even the best in the business can maintain a perfect resume and Mark Wahlberg’s case isn’t different, as alongside his many greats, the actor has also found himself in several misfires. And even though in most cases, Wahlberg isn’t necessarily one to be blamed when his movie underperforms, in the case of his 2002 Murder Mystery, unfortunately, it wasn’t the case.
Although the movie does have some redeeming factors, including Thandie Newton’s Regina Lambert, who carries the movie on her shoulders for the most part, it wasn’t enough to save it. As a result, not only the film fails to live up to its predecessor but Wahlberg considers it as his biggest mistake.
Mark Wahlberg considers The Truth About Charlie his worst film
Unlike 1963’s Charade, which was the basis for the 2002 remake, The Truth About Charlie, led by Jonathan Demme, the film fails in every aspect and is nowhere close to the quality of Stanley Donen’s work. Peter Stone, who was the writer for the original 1963 film, was also not delighted by the idea of this remake and Demme’s retelling of the iconic story. And despite Thandie Newton doing her best to carry this remake, it eventually falls under its other major flaws, and it’s reasonable to see why Mark Wahlberg considers it the worst movie in his career.
However, unlike most of Wahlberg’s other bad flicks, where he isn’t the main issue with the film, the actor’s casting at the forefront of The Truth About Charlie didn’t help in resolving its issues. Up on its release, one of the major criticisms against the movie was Wahlberg’s casting as Peter Joshua, and it was unanimously blasted by fans and critics. But it appears the Pain & Gain star wasn’t the initial choice to star in this remake.
Will Smith was the original choice to lead the remake of Charade
Considering that among its plethora of flaws, Mark Wahlberg’s casting was deemed as one of the major reasons behind its failure, it might not have been the case if things went according to Demme’s plans. After he started working on his retelling of Charade, Jonathan Demme initially wrote the role of Peter Joshua while keeping Will Smith in his mind. However, due to Smith’s commitment to 2001’s Ali, which witnessed an extended production, Demme eventually turned to the Father Stu star.
Whether Will Smith’s casting would have saved the remake remains under debate, it’s certain Wahlberg’s inclusion only worsened it, and it’s reasonable to see why the actor isn’t much proud of this film.
The Truth About Charlie is available to stream on Apple TV.
Source: IMDb
