Growing up there was a bunch of movies I would have never saw if it wasn't for late night TV in the 90's. 'True Identity' happens to be one of them. It has stuck with me doing a Mrs. Doubtfire routine before that movie even existed. I'll state up front I'm not familiar with comedian Lenny Henry, but that didn't stop this film from having fun moments.
Struggling actor Miles Pope (Henry) is sat next to a reputed mobster (Frank Langella) who is thought to be dead on a flight. When it appears the plane is going down, the man tells him his dirty secrets and afterwards wants Pope dead. With the help of his movie makeup neighbor, he undergoes a transition to being a white guy and then inadvertently takes the identity of the hitman sent to kill him. Faking his way thru conversations, making excuses, staging a fake murder scene until the gig is up and he has to find a real way out.
Quite a few recognizable faces pop up, but the show belongs to Henry, the dependable Langella and Andreas Katsulas (Star Trek TNG, The Fugitive) as the mobsters associate. There's a throwaway love interest and some corny cop play in which the film takes a dip however there's a solid laugh or two during his aspirations for a successful acting career.
Remember that classic bit from 'The Simpsons' with the pamphlet on stealing cable? "Fact: Most movies on cable get two stars or less and are repeated ad nauseam." That's 'True Identity' in a lot of ways. There's a few good pieces here, I certainly laughed but you have to sit thru formula to get to them.
Struggling actor Miles Pope (Henry) is sat next to a reputed mobster (Frank Langella) who is thought to be dead on a flight. When it appears the plane is going down, the man tells him his dirty secrets and afterwards wants Pope dead. With the help of his movie makeup neighbor, he undergoes a transition to being a white guy and then inadvertently takes the identity of the hitman sent to kill him. Faking his way thru conversations, making excuses, staging a fake murder scene until the gig is up and he has to find a real way out.
Quite a few recognizable faces pop up, but the show belongs to Henry, the dependable Langella and Andreas Katsulas (Star Trek TNG, The Fugitive) as the mobsters associate. There's a throwaway love interest and some corny cop play in which the film takes a dip however there's a solid laugh or two during his aspirations for a successful acting career.
Remember that classic bit from 'The Simpsons' with the pamphlet on stealing cable? "Fact: Most movies on cable get two stars or less and are repeated ad nauseam." That's 'True Identity' in a lot of ways. There's a few good pieces here, I certainly laughed but you have to sit thru formula to get to them.