verascity t1_ja2wtuh wrote
Reply to comment by doc_55lk in True Lies (1994) has aged SO poorly… by [deleted]
I mean, I used to laugh at those jokes because I didn't want to be a "buzzkill" or develop a reputation for being "humorless," even though I do and did joke about plenty of other things. I just swallowed my feelings every time someone laughed at my expense. It didn't feel good.
doc_55lk t1_ja2yddl wrote
There's obviously still a line to be drawn, but as of late, that line seems to be drawn so close that it's impossible to make any sort of joke without catastrophically offending someone.
This post is a decent example of that. 30 years ago the idea of a government agent misusing his government agent skills and funding to fuck around with his unfaithful wife, to the backdrop of an action flick, was funny as fuck. Now though, some random dude is deciding to post about it, saying that it offends them and that the premise is the sole reason that a 4K re release would bomb.
verascity t1_ja31y5z wrote
As I said in another comment, the OP doesn't really read as offended to me, much less "catastrophically" so. Just observing that this is a product that would really not do well out of its time. Personally, I never saw the movie, and the plot as described does sound kind of gross to me, but I'm willing to accept it's different in context. Still, I think OP is probably right that it wouldn't fly today.
another_busted_robot t1_ja3d9zx wrote
OP's description of the plot and actions are super disingenuous though. Arnold isn't using his spy background to "stalk and Weinstein" Curtis, he actually stops that from happening. Curtis' character was cheating on her husband with a guy pretending to be a spy because she was bored with her life. The stripping scene culminates with Arnold (pretending to be a villain) asking her why she's doing what she's doing, at which point she confesses that she's bored with her life and her husband doesn't pay any attention to her. There's no forcing, no manipulation from Arnold's character. Even the stripping scene is super awkward and comical, being that her character is supposed to be a suburban housewife masquerading as a spy trying to seduce and wiretap a villain. She even kicks Arnold's ass a bit when she changes her mind and before she finds out it's him. Basically OP's read and description of it is completely wrong. And Tom Arnold's character does call Arnold's character out for using his spy background to set this whole ruse up instead of just talking to her.
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