- 1991movierewind
Episode #147: True Identity
Listen to Episode 147 of the Podcast here while you enjoy the show notes.
SUMMARY - In True Identity, Miles Pope (played by Lenny Henry) is a struggling black actor looking for his big break. After a gig, he takes a flight back home where he meets Leland Carver (played by Frank Langella), a producer in New York City. Turbulence hits the plane and everyone thinks they’re going to die, and so Carver admits to Miles that he is actually a mob boss that the FBI thinks is dead. When everyone survives the flight, Miles is stuck with a target on his back and tries to hide from the mob as a white man.
Screenplay by Andy Breckman; Directed by Charles Lane; and released on August 23,1991.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Our VHS had a couple of previews for 1992 movies.
First was Medicine Man which had more action elements than we would have assumed.
Blame it on the Bellboy a comedy with some bigger names of the time but did not look good
and Ernest Scared Stupid which we already covered.
Our apologies for the lack of screenshots, but the VCR broke.
FILM DISCUSSION
The movie sets us up to have more conversations about race and stereotypes, but it surprisingly doesn't do much with that topic.
It takes a long time to get to the point where we have the plane ride that leads to the revelations that kicks of the plot.
The airport chase reminded us a bit of If Looks Could Kill
It also take some time to get through the various cops that don't believe Miles' story before...
the makeup gets applied. Again, we were expecting more of the types of conversations that happened in the Eddie Murphy SNL sketch about privilege and assumptions, but that doesn't really occur.
The movie tries to show off Lenny Henry's comedic talents, but mostly through the lens of a movie that really wanted Eddie Murphy to star.
There are some good cameos in here too, like Melvin Van Peebles
The ending is a bit strange and confusing to us, but we've been checked out at that point anyway.
The director cast himself as the best friend to avoid being fired and....you be the judge if that was the right move.
Awards Talk: None to speak of this time
TRUE CRIME & POP CULTURE
This week we don't have any true crime to talk about so we jump right into music.
We focus on the Reading Music Festival of 1991
Before their album released, Nirvana played a set and it is on YouTube
RANKINGS & RATINGS
Nikki 1-5 star scale - 2 out of 5
Jon 0-4 star scale - 1 out of 4
Would you watch it again? - This is our second Lenny Henry movie from 1991 and Bernard and the Genie is significantly better that we'd gladly watch again. Despite his best efforts, this is not a great showcase of his talent and abilities. The story was too dull and predictable to sit through again.
If you want to watch True Identity, as of this recording in January 2024, it’s available on Digital Rental, VHS, DVD. Check your local listings.
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