Movie Review: Charade

Charade is one of my all time favorite Audrey Hepburn movies. Even though so many of her roles are iconic (think Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany's, etc.), Charade takes all of the things that make Audrey a great actress and then pairs her with Cary Grant. It is beyond me why this is not thrown in as one of her best roles. And Cary Grant does what he does best (suave dry wit). It's a comedic/mystery masterpiece.

Audrey plays a woman, Regina, who upon deciding to divorce her husband comes home to their Paris apartment to find that he has been murdered. After leaving her with nothing but three (maybe four) criminals chasing after her for their share of some stolen loot, Regina turns to various people for help. But it seems like everyone has a different story and she has no idea who to trust. As Regina navigates the secrets her husband kept from her and does her best to stay alive, every time she turns around things aren't as they seem. Expertly written to be comedic and not confusing, Charade keeps you guessing. My favorite line of the movie comes from the very end and harps on the many twists and turns (I won't say it now because it'll give it away).

From the very first scene, Audrey Hepburn's wardrobe is amazing. This is one of those times that a movie's stylist is spot on. Bright colors, 60s silhouettes, and music to match. Watching the movie seems like watching a time machine to another era. But in doing so it because glaringly obvious where all of the fashions of today came from, and it doesn't seem so dated anymore. And for someone like me, who is a huge fan of that time period, it reads like a how-to manual. With all the color-blocking that is so big right now, I've definitely got more than enough inspiration to last me the summer.

But again, Charade isn't just about fashion, it's about a great mystery, which I know Nick appreciated. He loves Cary Grant (I have slowly but surely been introducing him to many of the great classic Hollywood actors and actresses) and the cheesey lines he is always written and appreciates his slapstick background as well. So while I was mesmerized by the aesthetic aspects of the movie (don't get me wrong, I do love a good mystery too), Nick was able to enjoy other parts of the storyline as well. Action, suspense, lots of sexual innuendos. Bottom line, when everyone can be happy, you know you have a winner on your hands. If you can, watch it while it's still on instant play on Netflix.