'True Lies'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan take the ice trays out of the freezer before rewatching James Cameron's 1994 action comedy 'True Lies,' starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Arnold, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker
Jamie Lee Curtis as Helen Tasker
Tom Arnold as Gib
Bill Paxton as Simon
Tia Carrere as Juno Skinner
Art Malik as Salim Abu Aziz
Charlton Heston as Spencer Trilby
Eliza Dushku as Dana Tasker
Grant Heslov as Faisil
Directed by: James Cameron
Written by: James Cameron
Notes
- Budget of $100 million – the first film ever with a production budget over $100 million. Grossed $378 million worldwide, the third biggest movie of 1994.
- Based on a 1991 French comedy called 'La Totale!' – Arnold saw it at the suggestion of his wife's brother and brought James Cameron on board.
- Arnold's comeback film after Last Action Hero bombed in 1993. Made during a Bond hiatus when no Bond films were being produced.
- Cameron was a notorious taskmaster on set – crew wore T-shirts saying 'I'll never work on 'True Lies' 2.' But everyone still said they loved him and would work with him again.
- Cameron and producer John Landau's partnership was born on this movie. Cameron also started his digital effects company Digital Domain during this production.
- Arnold rehearsed the tango for allegedly 6 months, wanting to be as good as Al Pacino in 'Scent of a Woman'. Same tango music used.
- Cameron called Arnold after finishing the film to ask if Jamie Lee Curtis could share top billing with him. Arnold agreed. He was initially against casting her, but Cameron asked 'do you trust me?'
- Tom Arnold auditioned just to meet Cameron. After the audition, he told Cameron 'Arnold's not that big, I think I can take him.' Cameron hired him on the spot.
- They used a real old bridge in the Florida Keys that they actually blew up (it remains destroyed). The Harrier jet finale used a 45-foot model airplane placed on a real building.
- A 'True Lies' sequel was in motion from 1998-2001 and they finished the script, but 9/11 happened and Cameron said 'Terrorism is no longer something to take as lightly as we did in the first one.'
- Bill Simmons calls it 'borderline the most entertaining movie ever... pure raw excess.' Chris Ryan calls it 'the last of its kind.'
Categories
- Chris Ryan and Bill Simmons both pick the motorcycle/horse chase through the Marriott, up the elevator, and off the roof into the pool.
- Van Lathan picks Jamie Lee Curtis's hotel striptease/dance scene – calls it 'a Hall of Fame, first team' scene.
Quote from Rog's review:
“It's stuff like that we go to Arnold Schwarzenegger movies for, and True Lies has a lot of it – laugh-out-loud moments when the violence is so cartoonish we don't take it seriously. And yet we are amazed at its inventiveness and audacity.”
Ebert also called the plot 'perfunctory.' Bill Simmons personally thinks it deserves 3.5 stars.
Chris Ryan says 'it's Cruise, but he winds up making it with Mission Impossible.' Van notes this is the only type of movie Tom Hanks has never made.
The ingenuity of the practical effects, the Harrier jet sequences, and the sheer spectacle. Chris Ryan says he doesn't know if this movie has 'ever been topped in terms of spectacle in action movies.'
- The portrayal of Middle Eastern terrorists / Crimson Jihad – 'ridiculously pre-9/11,' one-note, buffoonish.
- Charlton Heston's performance as Spencer Trilby. The obvious stunt doubles for Arnold. The baggy suits. Arnold's 14-year-old daughter listening to Cream in 1994 instead of Nirvana or Soundgarden.
The Sally Jesse Raphael reference – someone saying 'I was watching Sally Jesse Raphael.'
- Chris Ryan: If they had copyrighted 'You're fired,' The Apprentice isn't that popular, and Trump never becomes President.
- Bill Simmons: The opening 15 minutes of this movie created Fortnite.
- Van Lathan: This is James Cameron's finest directing work ever, because of the versatility – comedy, action, intimate family drama all in one film.
- Jodie Foster was allegedly originally cast as Helen but turned it down to do Nell.
- Tia Carrere replaced Karina Lombard (from The Firm) after filming had already begun.
- For recasting the lead terrorist: Liam Neeson, John Malkovich, Sean Bean, Gary Oldman, and Liev Schreiber were all suggested as better options.
- Tom Arnold – unanimous apex mountain, 'without a doubt.'
- Arnold standalone movies (no sequels/franchises) – 'True Lies' is the best.
- Arnold's acting apex – this is his greatest performance.
- Glass elevators (the Westin Bonaventure). Truth serum in movies – possibly the best truth serum scene ever.
Bill Paxton as Simon – one of the easiest selections ever. Chris Ryan says it's 'in conversation for changing the name of the award.' His scenes: the used car lot Corvette scene, pretending to be a spy with Jamie Lee, and getting caught at the dam ('I got a little dick. It's pathetic.').
The John Hiatt song played during the striptease/dance – notable because there's no music actually playing in the scene (she dances to silence in-movie).
Tia Carrere's performance (Van and Chris). Art Malik's one-note villain. Bill Simmons says the 11-minute interrogation scene of Jamie Lee is too long.
Charlton Heston as Spencer Trilby, or Art Malik as the head terrorist.
- Arnold almost got thrown off the horse and fell 90 feet; a stuntman saved him.
- Cameron started Digital Domain during 'True Lies' production – the company later did Avengers: Endgame.
- The 'ice cube trays' line was from Tom Arnold's real divorce from Roseanne. Body count estimate: ~90 deaths.
Van: 'Encourage your wife's freak.' Bill Simmons: 'You're a sick bitch if you steal the ice cube trays' and 'It's OK to lie to your spouse because it will all work out.'
Chris Ryan picks 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' ('spiritual prequel'). Van picks 'The Bourne Identity'. Bill Simmons picks Speed ('Summer '94 double feature').
James Cameron – unanimous pick.