It’s Die Hard in an action comedy spy romp!

This week on the show, spymasters Phil and Liam have recruited special guest Bilge Ebiri - film critic for Vulture and New York magazine – to analyze TRUE LIES, aka “the American blockbuster riff on the French sex farce” (to quote Liam).     

In this bombastic action comedy, seemingly unassuming computer salesman Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is actually living a double life as an international superspy for the US government’s mysterious ‘Omega Sector’. Harry has managed to keep this secret from his wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) and daughter Dana (Eliza Dushku) for 15 years, but due to circumstances beyond his control, this grand lie is finally exposed, thrusting Harry, Helen and Dana into grave danger at the hands of a ruthless terrorist organization known as ‘Crimson Jihad’.

TRUE LIES was a box office behemoth in the golden summer of 1994, and the guys discuss their memories of its initial release, and their thoughts on how the film’s politics have aged over the last three decades. As ever, this heart-warming story of an emotionally estranged husband and wife battling terrorists together contains a surprising high amount of ‘Die Hard DNA’, and it turns out that this popcorn blockbuster actually touches on some deeper themes about the American nuclear family.  

The trio dig deep on the “reality distortion field” that allowed Arnold to convincingly play a “boring” everyman, sing the praises of the effervescent icon that is Jamie Lee Curtis, and discuss the respective merits of the stellar supporting cast, that includes Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Art Malik, Grant Heslov, Charlton Heston and Tia Carrere. There’s also plenty of chat about the myriad talents of Mr. James Cameron: king of the world, king of the sequel, and king of the third act.

The guys hop in their harrier jump jets and head over to the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ to hand out some action movie awards, and as always the frivolity culminates with a delectable trivia quiz that makes you want to stand up and beg for buttermilk!

 

TRUE LIES trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz45Y50ozxE

At the time of release, TRUE LIES is streaming on Hulu, Paramount +/Apple TV and Fubo.

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