“True Lies” Premiere Review: A Remake Truly No One Knew They Needed — Because They Didn’t

“True Lies” is an entertaining yet easily predictable late-night watch that fails to keep up with the original. The CBS original show, based on James Cameron’s spy action comedy film of the same name, premiered on Mar. 1.

The “True Lies” remake is created by Matt Nix and revolves around the same premise as the original film, featuring Steve Howkey and Ginger Gonzaga as the unusual couple bound to save their marriage — and the world. The storyline itself is too predictable and cliche. The wife who spends her days at yoga class and complains about her husband's boring behavior. Confiding in her friend, she addresses the late nights her husband spends at work and naturally comes to the conclusion that her husband must be having an affair. In fact, at times the CBS show even borders on parody: The first episode alone features a lipstick weapon, a lingerie dance session, and an action-packed helicopter escape. This is exacerbated by the blatantly stereotypical portrayal of gender roles: Though the show does make some attempts to challenge these gendered stereotypes, they are rather fruitless given the inherent sexism within the storyline itself.

Granted, the mere premise of the show is still guaranteed to provide a decent level of entertainment, even if this kind of entertainment is not grounded in social importance. The show proves to be a fun, if superficial viewing experience. “True Lies” is the kind of show that works as long as viewers do not think and simply watch.

In addition to the lack of innovation in the story, the cinematography leaves room for improvement. Many of the camera angles, frames, and transitions appear to have been taken straight out of a reality TV show. Bizarre production choices such as the Parisian backdrop also begs questions along the lines of: Who knew that there were palm trees in Paris? Both actors, Howkey and Gonzaga, try their best given the material but generally disappoint. They feed too much into the typical action comedy trope, making their portrayals almost caricatures. One of the only things the pair has going for them is that they have enough chemistry to convince the audience that their marriage is not broken beyond repair.

It remains unclear why Nix felt the need to adapt Cameron’s successful film into a television series. The CBS original is best described as a 2010s action comedy starring Melisa McCarthy, and while there is nothing wrong with a cheesy, funny, and carefree movie, it simply requires the dramatic support of the big screen. The show proves that not everything needs to be turned into a television show. Overall, “True Lies” is entertaining, but audiences might be better off watching the original.

— Staff writer Amelie Julicher can be reached at amelie.julicher@thecrimson.com.