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The Rewatchables ·

True Lies

year 1994decade 90sdirector James Camerongenre Comedygenre Action
host Bill Simmonshost Chris Ryanhost Van Lathan
All 41 categories

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award · 7:17

Cameron’s best directing

Van Lathan: The film combines Bond, a large action blockbuster, De Palma-style voyeurism, and Naked Gun-style visual comedy. That range supports an early hottest take that this is Cameron’s finest directing work.

Chris Ryan: A hottest take argues Cameron helped break the blockbuster business model by pushing budgets and spectacle so high that profitability requires extraordinary success.

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson · 1:50:20

Encourage your wife’s adventurous side

Bill Simmons: Life lessons propose not stealing the ice trays and suggest lying to a spouse can work out; both suggestions draw discomfort.

The film

True Lies (1994)

Directed by James Cameron · Comedy

141 minutes

IMDb Letterboxd Find on JustWatch Rotten Tomatoes
Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Arnold Schwarzenegger Harry Tasker
Jamie Lee Curtis Helen Tasker
Tom Arnold Albert “Gib” Gibson
Bill Paxton Simon
Tia Carrere Juno Skinner
Art Malik Salim Abu Aziz
Eliza Dushku Dana Tasker
Grant Heslov Faisil
Charlton Heston Spencer Trilby
Marshall Manesh Jamal Khaled
Ofer Samra Yusif
John Bruno High-Rise Custodian

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

7:17

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Cameron’s best directing; blockbuster inflation; Fortnite; You’re fired counterfactual

Cameron’s best directing; blockbuster inflation; Fortnite; You’re fired counterfactual

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:07:17Read transcript
  • The film combines Bond, a large action blockbuster, De Palma-style voyeurism, and Naked Gun-style visual comedy. That range supports an early hottest take that this is Cameron’s finest directing work. — Van Lathan
  • A hottest take argues Cameron helped break the blockbuster business model by pushing budgets and spectacle so high that profitability requires extraordinary success. — Chris Ryan
  • Another hottest take proposes that the opening action anticipates Fortnite; the causal claim is challenged because earlier war films already contain similar action. — Bill Simmons
  • A counterfactual hottest take imagines copyrighting You’re fired preventing The Apprentice’s success and Trump’s presidency.
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16:11

Apex Mountain

Schwarzenegger’s acting

Schwarzenegger’s acting

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:11Read transcript
  • True Lies is affirmed as Schwarzenegger’s acting peak because it combines action, charm, jealousy, and subtle comedy without leaning entirely on his accent or size. Total Recall is offered as a competing favorite, and the limits of comparing his acting range are acknowledged. — Bill Simmons
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32:17

What Quarterback Is This?

Jamie Lee Curtis: Eli Manning

Jamie Lee Curtis: Eli Manning

The panel proposes a new category here.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:32:17Read transcript
  • A proposed quarterback-comparison category initially maps Curtis to Dak Prescott, then considers Matt Ryan because an MVP resembles an Oscar. The Prescott comparison is challenged because Halloween represents a major win.
  • Curtis is defended for holding her own in strong ensembles and improving her films. Matthew Stafford and Eli Manning are proposed as quarterback analogies, with agreement settling on Eli Manning. — Bill Simmons
  • The quarterback-comparison idea prompts a proposal to revisit earlier episodes using quarterbacks appropriate to the original recording dates. — Chris Ryan
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33:34

Half-Assed Internet Research

Horse stunt; model jet; Digital Domain; tango rehearsal; hotel; body count

Horse stunt; model jet; Digital Domain; tango rehearsal; hotel; body count

In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:33:34Read transcript
  • An anecdote says a frightened horse nearly threw Schwarzenegger off the roof and a stuntman saved him; the discussion expressly questions how reliable the story is. — Bill Simmons
  • The near-fatal horse stunt anecdote is recalled for research, with explicit skepticism that it has grown exaggerated. — Bill Simmons
  • Cameron and effects supervisor John Bruno reportedly planned to place a model plane on a real rooftop for a more convincing action sequence. — Bill Simmons
  • Cameron’s founding of Digital Domain during this period is discussed as part of his continued drive to invent new filmmaking technology.
  • The ice-tray joke is again traced to Tom Arnold’s divorce story. — Bill Simmons
  • The hotel is identified as the Westin Bonaventure. — Bill Simmons
  • The body count is reported as ninety, below the initial guesses.
  • The discussion reports a $100 million budget, third-place annual box-office finish, and one visual-effects Oscar nomination. Its gross figure is transcribed as “$378 billion,” an apparent scale error retained as uncertain. — Bill Simmons
  • Schwarzenegger reportedly rehearsed the tango for six months to match Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman, with the same music used. — Bill Simmons
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33:50

Roger Ebert's review
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:33:50Read transcript
  • Roger Ebert’s score is stated as three stars; three-and-a-half is preferred in disagreement. His review praises inventive cartoon violence and laughs while finding the plot perfunctory. — Bill Simmons
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36:01

Most Rewatchable Scene

Horse-versus-motorcycle chase

Horse-versus-motorcycle chase

In the discussion (17)
Approx. transcript time · 00:36:01Read transcript
  • The Bond-style opening is nominated, highlighting Juno Skinner’s introduction, the tango, Harry headbutting dogs, and the skiing gunmen. The chalet exterior reportedly combines footage from several locations. — Bill Simmons
  • The skiing gunmen inspire jokes about the training and management investment required for enemies who are immediately defeated. — Bill Simmons
  • The Georgetown Mall bathroom fight is nominated. Its cigarette-pack/sunglasses gadget seems confusing, later bathroom fights are compared with it, and dunking an actor’s face in a toilet is considered disgusting regardless of cleaning. — Bill Simmons
  • The horse-versus-motorcycle chase is nominated as an exceptional action sequence that establishes Harry’s mastery of nearly every mode of transport and combat.
  • The motorcycle’s rooftop pool jump is praised as astonishing in 1994, while later Fast & Furious escalation has reduced its novelty. A horse and motorcycle racing upward in elevators makes the sequence especially absurd.
  • A proposed video outing would revisit famous movie locations, beginning with the hotel elevator. Harry dangling from the roof and persuading the horse to back up are also praised. — Bill Simmons
  • Harry telling Gib that Helen is having an affair is nominated for Tom Arnold’s reaction and the missing ice-trays line. The ice-tray detail reportedly came from Arnold’s real divorce. — Chris Ryan
  • The Corvette test drive with Simon unknowingly describing Harry’s wife is nominated for Paxton’s extravagant dirty talk and the cut from refusing to share his secret to freely explaining it over food.
  • Helen’s hotel seduction is nominated as the clear personal most-rewatchable choice, praising Curtis’s transformation of her dress and appearance and the scene’s sexual impact. — Van Lathan
  • Curtis in Perfect is compared with her True Lies appearance; Perfect is criticized as having little story beyond the attractiveness of its stars. — Bill Simmons
  • Harry disguising his voice to direct his wife’s striptease is singled out as creepy. — Chris Ryan
  • The truth-serum interrogation and escape are nominated for Schwarzenegger’s calmly predicting the killings, the handcuff reveal, and the gun kicked into his hands while Helen watches. — Bill Simmons
  • The Florida Keys finale is nominated, including falling trucks, Helen and Juno fighting in the limousine, and the helicopter rescue. Miniature bridge work combined with real Harriers is praised, and Curtis and Cameron reportedly participated in the helicopter stunt. — Chris Ryan
  • The dangerous rescue stunt prompts a hypothetical about how a fatal accident would have changed Cameron’s career. — Bill Simmons
  • The Harrier rescue of Dana and the missile fired through a building are nominated despite doubts about her ability to hold on. Helen and Dana’s rapid adjustment to espionage is questioned; the final tango is praised.
  • The motorcycle-and-horse chase through the hotel and over the rooftops receives two final scene choices. — Van Lathan
  • Helen’s dance remains another final scene choice, with a recollection of keeping the sequence alone on a compilation videotape. Gib’s nonstop jokes entering Omega Sector are also praised. — Van Lathan
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41:14

What’s Aged the Worst?

Visible doubles; stereotypes; score and titles; Cream; Heston; misconduct allegation; suits

Visible doubles; stereotypes; score and titles; Cream; Heston; misconduct allegation; suits

In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:41:14Read transcript
  • The conspicuous Schwarzenegger stunt double is nominated for aged worst, although the visible substitution is also enjoyed as a period artifact.
  • The cartoonish terrorists are discussed as a pre-9/11 stereotype that already drew protests; The Siege and changing wrestling stereotypes are offered as later points of resistance.
  • The opening score and graphics are selected for aged worst. — Bill Simmons
  • Dana listening to Cream in 1994 is questioned; Nirvana or Soundgarden seem more plausible, with Audioslave corrected as too late. A counterexample recalls schoolchildren embracing older bands such as the Doors.
  • Heston’s performance and once-impressive stunt casting are selected for aged worst, with his eye patch compared to the comic-book Nick Fury.
  • The flat terrorists are selected for aged worst and prompt comparisons with weak villains in otherwise good films. Beverly Hills Cop’s villains are criticized, with Victor Maitland receiving a defense.
  • The discussion recounts Eliza Dushku’s allegation that stunt coordinator Joel Kramer molested her and later endangered her in retaliation, and says Schwarzenegger, Cameron, and Curtis supported her. These are reported allegations, not independently established film metadata. — Bill Simmons
  • The portrayal of Middle Eastern people and treatment of women are selected for aged worst, particularly Juno being struck twice without warning.
  • The oversized suits are selected for aged worst. — Van Lathan
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44:44

Picking Nits

Elevator capacity; agency oversight; Harry’s cover; disguise; dress; limo; Dana; marksmanship

Elevator capacity; agency oversight; Harry’s cover; disguise; dress; limo; Dana; marksmanship

In the discussion (15)
Approx. transcript time · 00:44:44Read transcript
  • The horse and passengers potentially exceeding the elevator’s capacity is debated using rough weights and capacity estimates. A horse defecating in the elevator is suggested as a missed joke.
  • Omega Sector’s authority, accountability, building, and ability to mobilize military force are questioned. Harry’s use of state surveillance to investigate his wife is treated as a major management failure.
  • News coverage might expose Harry’s identity, but a counterargument notes that the reporters explicitly do not know who is responsible. — Van Lathan
  • Harry’s uncertainty about whether striking the bridge might detonate a nuclear weapon is criticized. — Van Lathan
  • Harry’s distinctive appearance is questioned as a liability for undercover counterterrorism work. — Bill Simmons
  • Helen failing to recognize Harry’s body during the seduction and failing to suspect his occupation after seventeen years are major nitpicks. — Van Lathan
  • Harry’s accent, languages, combat skills, and flight training raise unanswered questions about his origin and recruitment; imagined college-to-spy biographies are jokes.
  • Helen’s indifference to his job seems less plausible with modern family location tracking that could expose his overseas travel. — Bill Simmons
  • The tuxedo remaining dry beneath the diving suit is questioned and defended as a Bond convention. — Bill Simmons
  • Harry visiting Juno the day after a conspicuous massacre seems reckless, particularly given his distinctive appearance and the lack of an apparent international response.
  • Helen transforming her dress so neatly by tearing it is questioned. — Bill Simmons
  • The dead limousine driver keeping the vehicle on course is questioned. — Bill Simmons
  • Dana taking the key without an obvious plan and the logistics of abducting her from Washington and bringing her to Florida are questioned; the wallet photograph explains how the terrorists learned about her.
  • Whether the horse could support Harry’s weight over the roof edge is questioned and defended, with the earlier elevator objection repeated.
  • The terrorists’ repeatedly terrible marksmanship is criticized, with Rambo II offered as an even greater example; shooting bystanders is distinguished from hitting the heroes.
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45:34

Apex Mountain

Standalone Schwarzenegger films; Tom Arnold; ice-tray theft; Westin Bonaventure; glass elevators

Standalone Schwarzenegger films; Tom Arnold; ice-tray theft; Westin Bonaventure; glass elevators

In the discussion (14)
Approx. transcript time · 00:45:34Read transcript
  • Glass elevators are explicitly affirmed at Apex Mountain, with In the Line of Fire offered as a comparison. — Chris Ryan
  • Schwarzenegger’s overall Apex is rejected, but True Lies is affirmed as the best of his standalone, non-franchise films after debating whether remakes and sequels disqualify other titles. — Van Lathan
  • Tom Arnold is unequivocally affirmed at Apex Mountain. — Bill Simmons
  • The 1990s tango-scene Apex goes to Scent of a Woman rather than True Lies. — Van Lathan
  • Curtis’s hottest scenes are compared with Trading Places and Perfect, with Perfect strongly advocated as her best appearance. — Bill Simmons
  • Tia Carrere’s Apex is assigned to Wayne’s World. — Bill Simmons
  • Bill Paxton is rejected for this film. — Bill Simmons
  • James Cameron is rejected for this film.
  • Two Dobermans being headbutted together is proposed without a clear response.
  • Skiing shootouts are compared with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Inception, and Cliffhanger; Inception is preferred.
  • Ice-tray theft is unequivocally affirmed. — Chris Ryan
  • The Westin Bonaventure’s appearances in True Lies and In the Line of Fire are treated as its broader peak. — Chris Ryan
  • Horse cops do not receive a firm affirmative response. — Chris Ryan
  • Truth serum is provisionally affirmed as possibly its best use. — Bill Simmons
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56:53

The most 1994 thing

Sally Jessy Raphael

Sally Jessy Raphael

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:56:53Read transcript
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58:26

Elisabeth Shue Inventing Cold Fusion Award

Tia Carrere as Juno Skinner

Tia Carrere as Juno Skinner

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:58:26Read transcript
  • Tia Carrere as Juno Skinner, an ancient-Persian antiquities specialist, receives the Elisabeth Shue Oxford Electrochemist award. The role is compared with Bond’s implausibly credentialed glamorous women. — Bill Simmons
  • Carrere is praised as underused after Wayne’s World, but her True Lies performance is challenged as an unconvincing mysterious badass reliant on holding champagne. Showdown in Little Tokyo is preferred as an example of her appeal.
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1:00:05

What’s Aged the Best?

Juno Skinner; Omega Sector; truth serum; Corvette price; Paxton; Landau; camcorder gag; shared billing

Juno Skinner; Omega Sector; truth serum; Corvette price; Paxton; Landau; camcorder gag; shared billing

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:00:05Read transcript
  • Juno Skinner’s name is selected. — Bill Simmons
  • Omega Sector’s name is selected. — Bill Simmons
  • Truth serum is selected and inspires a hypothetical interview show; the drug’s real effectiveness remains uncertain.
  • Simon’s 1959 Corvette price is selected for aged best, though the exact figure is disputed after a freeze-frame recollection.
  • Paxton’s comic performance is selected for aged best, especially Simon begging for his life and wetting himself at the dam and again in the ending. A Paxton theme month is expressly not established.
  • Cameron’s partnership with Jon Landau is selected, alongside appreciation after Landau’s death. — Bill Simmons
  • The camcorder battery failing during the terrorist announcement is selected. — Bill Simmons
  • The weapons incapacitating Harry and Helen are initially called tasers, then corrected to tranquilizer darts. — Bill Simmons
  • The discussion claims an actual disused bridge was destroyed and partly rebuilt, while an objection recalls miniature bridge work; the relationship between those accounts is not resolved here. — Bill Simmons
  • Cameron reportedly asked Schwarzenegger to share above-title billing with Curtis after recognizing the film as a husband-and-wife story, and Schwarzenegger agreed. — Bill Simmons
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1:05:30

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

Harrier skyscraper sequence; Helen hanging from helicopter

Harrier skyscraper sequence; Helen hanging from helicopter

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:05:30Read transcript
  • The Harrier skyscraper sequence is favored for its ingenuity, with its large rotating model cited. — Chris Ryan
  • Helen hanging from the helicopter is another iconic-shot choice.
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1:05:50

The Den of Thieves Benihana Award for Scene-Stealing Location

Skyscraper; bridge; hotel elevator

Skyscraper; bridge; hotel elevator

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:05:50Read transcript
  • The skyscraper finale, Florida Keys bridge, and Marriott elevator are proposed for scene-stealing location. — Bill Simmons
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1:06:05

The Slow Ride / Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness Award for Best Needle Drop

John Hiatt song during Helen’s dance

John Hiatt song during Helen’s dance

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:06:05Read transcript
  • The John Hiatt song accompanying Helen’s dance is selected; the track title is not stated. — Bill Simmons
  • The absence of an apparent in-scene music source makes Helen’s synchronized dance seem strange. — Chris Ryan
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1:06:46

The Big Kahuna Burger Award for Best Use of Food and Drink

Simon’s Chinese restaurant

Simon’s Chinese restaurant

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:06:46Read transcript
  • Simon’s Chinese restaurant receives the food award, prompting jokes about staff recognizing his repetitive fake-spy seduction routine.
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1:07:21

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

Carrere; underwritten villain; lengthy interrogation

Carrere; underwritten villain; lengthy interrogation

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:21Read transcript
  • Carrere is the initial weak-link choice, while the principal villain is criticized for staying at maximum intensity without a developed arc; the actor is distinguished from the writing.
  • The villain is rated below one on a hypothetical Hans Gruber comparison scale and likened to Nathan Peterman, underscoring how little interesting material he receives. — Bill Simmons
  • Helen’s eleven-minute interrogation is proposed as the weak link for excessive length. It is defended as the film’s most human scene, making her a three-dimensional character and establishing that she is not cheating.
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1:07:55

Hans Gruber Scale Villain Ranking

Below one

Below one

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:55Read transcript
  • The villain is rated below one on a hypothetical Hans Gruber comparison scale and likened to Nathan Peterman, underscoring how little interesting material he receives. — Bill Simmons
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1:10:16

The Vincent Chase Award: Are We Sure This Character Is Actually Good at Their Job?

Spencer Trilby

Spencer Trilby

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:10:16Read transcript
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1:15:29

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Charlton Heston; Art Malik

Charlton Heston; Art Malik

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:15:29Read transcript
  • Charlton Heston and Art Malik are the overacting candidates; Heston’s line delivery and Nick Fury-like appearance receive additional criticism.
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1:16:48

Is There a Better Title for This Movie?

True Lies

True Lies

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:16:48Read transcript
  • The existing title receives agreement as the best option.
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1:16:48

The Neil McCauley “A Book about Metals” Award for Best Line from the Movie

“How come billionaires are always short?”

“How come billionaires are always short?”

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:16:48Read transcript
  • How come billionaires are always short? is the selected line.
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1:20:15

Casting What-Ifs

Foster rumor; Curtis; Tom Arnold; Lombard replacement

Foster rumor; Curtis; Tom Arnold; Lombard replacement

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:20:15Read transcript
  • A rumor that Jodie Foster declined Helen to make Nell is explicitly unconfirmed and doubted. Cameron’s familiarity with Curtis through Kathryn Bigelow’s Blue Steel is offered as context. — Bill Simmons
  • Schwarzenegger reportedly initially opposed Curtis, then accepted Cameron’s insistence that she was right for Helen. — Bill Simmons
  • Tom Arnold reportedly auditioned mainly to meet Cameron, displayed chemistry with Schwarzenegger, and won the role after joking he could beat him up. His failure to repeat this career peak is discussed; uncertainty about McHale’s Navy is corrected. — Bill Simmons
  • Carrere reportedly said she replaced Karina Lombard after shooting began; Lombard is identified through her role in The Firm. — Bill Simmons
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1:24:18

Van Lathan Award for Did This Movie Need More Black People?

No; Martin Lawrence as Faisil proposed

No; Martin Lawrence as Faisil proposed

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:18Read transcript
  • More Black People receives an initial no, including rejection of replacing Trilby merely with a wise Black character. Martin Lawrence is then proposed for Faisil, while the existing casting is defended as potentially offsetting the film’s ethnic optics.
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1:24:59

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Grant Heslov

Grant Heslov

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:59Read transcript
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1:24:59

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Bill Paxton

Bill Paxton

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:59Read transcript
  • Bill Paxton’s Simon is the emphatic choice; his performance is considered strong enough to rename the award, but the existing name is defended. — Chris Ryan
  • The fantasy punch and Simon’s desperate confession illustrate his comic impact.
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1:25:46

Recasting Couch

Neeson; Malkovich; Bean; Oldman; Schreiber as villain

Neeson; Malkovich; Bean; Oldman; Schreiber as villain

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:25:46Read transcript
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1:26:33

What Would Tony Romo’s Director’s Commentary for This Movie Sound Like?

Cris Collinsworth; Pat McAfee

Cris Collinsworth; Pat McAfee

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:26:33Read transcript
  • Cris Collinsworth is imagined commentating on Helen’s striptease, followed by a brief Pat McAfee-style reaction to Harry. — Bill Simmons
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1:31:39

Favorite Kill

Tipping truck; windshield victim; human missile

Tipping truck; windshield victim; human missile

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:31:39Read transcript
  • Favorite deaths are the three men tipping over with the truck, a man ejected through a windshield and run over, and the human missile fired into the helicopter.
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1:35:23

Cruise or Hanks?

Cruise

Cruise

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:23Read transcript
  • Neither Cruise nor Hanks is considered an improvement over Schwarzenegger. Hanks is interesting because he rarely plays this type of action hero, but the final choice is Cruise.
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1:36:31

Best Movie-Related Fantasy Football Team Name From This Movie

Omega Sector; Sand Spider

Omega Sector; Sand Spider

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:36:31Read transcript
  • Omega Sector is favored as a racehorse name, with Sand Spider also proposed; Crimson Jihad is rejected as a workable racehorse name. — Chris Ryan
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1:43:03

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Cancelled sequel; television adaptation

Cancelled sequel; television adaptation

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:43:03Read transcript
  • A sequel reportedly reached a completed script with Cameron and Schwarzenegger returning, but was abandoned after 9/11 because its light treatment of terrorism no longer seemed appropriate. — Bill Simmons
  • The television adaptation is mentioned, followed by uncertainty about its availability and a joking proposal for Gene Hackman to return as the Heston character. — Bill Simmons
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1:44:20

Is This Movie Better With…?

Hudson from Aliens

Hudson from Aliens

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:44:20Read transcript
  • The better-with discussion rejects Jan de Bont as an improvement and proposes Bill Paxton’s Hudson persona from Aliens, jokingly extending it into a Simon Hudson identity. — Chris Ryan
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1:45:16

Just One Oscar

Visual effects; Cameron; Tom Arnold

Visual effects; Cameron; Tom Arnold

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:45:16Read transcript
  • Visual effects is proposed for the Oscar.
  • Cameron is another proposed Oscar recipient.
  • Tom Arnold is proposed for supporting actor, compared with Marisa Tomei’s comic supporting win.
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1:45:29

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Tango envy and occasions; Harry’s mission affairs

Tango envy and occasions; Harry’s mission affairs

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:45:29Read transcript
  • The remaining unanswered question asks whether inability to tango is a major envy, then debates whether ordinary social life ever offers a suitable occasion.
  • Tango lessons and a performance at a Ringer holiday party are proposed, followed by questions about learning time and whether people know more than one tango song.
  • Whether Harry has slept with other women on missions is questioned, with his flirtatious behavior offered as speculation rather than an established answer.
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1:48:00

Best Double Feature

Mr. & Mrs. Smith; The Bourne Identity; Speed
True Lies
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
The Bourne Identity
Speed
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:48:00Read transcript
  • Mr. & Mrs. Smith is proposed as a double feature and described as a spiritual successor.
  • The Bourne Identity is proposed as a double feature. — Bill Simmons
  • Speed is proposed as a double feature to recreate the summer of 1994. — Bill Simmons
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1:48:26

The Andy and Red – Zihuatanejo Award for What Happens the Next Day?

Secret exposed; killed in action; embezzlement prosecution

Secret exposed; killed in action; embezzlement prosecution

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:48:26Read transcript
  • Dana is expected to reveal her parents’ spy work to friends despite the family’s intended secrecy. — Bill Simmons
  • One next-day prediction has both spouses killed in action because Helen lacks sufficient training. — Van Lathan
  • Another next-day prediction has both imprisoned for misusing Omega Sector funds, with Trilby exposing them. — Chris Ryan
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1:49:47

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Camera glasses; nuclear warhead; tranquilizer weapon

Camera glasses; nuclear warhead; tranquilizer weapon

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:49:47Read transcript
  • Harry’s camera glasses are the favored memorabilia, with a nuclear warhead also proposed. — Van Lathan
  • The memorabilia discussion prompts curiosity about real spy stores and adds the tranquilizer weapon as a choice.
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1:50:20

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

Encourage your wife’s adventurous side

Encourage your wife’s adventurous side

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:50:20Read transcript
  • Life lessons propose not stealing the ice trays and suggest lying to a spouse can work out; both suggestions draw discomfort. — Bill Simmons
  • Encouraging a wife’s adventurous sexual side is the strongly advocated alternative life lesson, tied to Helen’s dissatisfaction and attraction to excitement. — Van Lathan
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1:51:15

Who Won the Movie?

James Cameron

James Cameron

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:51:15Read transcript
Podcast choices
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1:51:30

Producer review

Enthusiastic first watch; genre culmination; tone; Tom Arnold’s prominence

Enthusiastic first watch; genre culmination; tone; Tom Arnold’s prominence

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:51:30Read transcript
  • The first-time viewer calls the film a culmination of Schwarzenegger-era action, contrasts its physical spectacle with computer-heavy modern action, and argues that unpolished acting fits its unserious tone. — Chris Ryan
  • Tom Arnold’s unusually extensive dialogue and near-co-lead role surprise the first-time viewer, particularly given his lack of prior familiarity with the performer. — Chris Ryan
  • The producer-review exchange ends with enthusiastic approval of the film’s entertainment and excess. — Chris Ryan
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The episode marks True Lies’ thirtieth anniversary, with Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan.
Approx. transcript time · 00:02:46Read transcript
Three opening claims frame the discussion: Schwarzenegger’s greatest performance, the best Bond movie in forty years, and the biggest missed sequel opportunity of the 1990s. The Bond claim draws immediate disagreement; the sequel omission draws agreement.
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A True Lies sequel is preferred to Avatar, while Titanic’s success and Cameron’s growing interest in technology are offered as reasons he stopped pursuing this kind of film.
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Cameron’s run from The Terminator through Titanic is praised. True Lies is described as his last film that seemed driven primarily by making an entertaining movie rather than demonstrating a technological advance.
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The action spectacle is praised for making practical effects, miniatures, and digital work difficult to distinguish. Its shifts into intimate marital comedy make the eventual return to jets and explosions surprising.
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An initially overwhelming viewing is reconsidered: the spectacle once felt exhausting and the terrorist plot silly, while repeat viewing reveals subtler comic staging, such as Harry stopping outside Helen’s cubicle.
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Schwarzenegger’s movement between comedy, action, charm, and jealousy is praised as a more successful blend than Kindergarten Cop. True Lies and Last Action Hero both play consciously with his established image.
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A survey of 1990s top-five box-office films raises Pretty Woman as an unrealized sequel opportunity; hypothetical sequels imagine marriage or a return to sex work, while Runaway Bride is called an unofficial follow-up.
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The Fugitive is proposed as another missed sequel, then challenged because U.S. Marshals already exists. True Lies is treated as the clearest missed opportunity.
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Cameron’s involvement is considered essential to a sequel. Released during a Bond hiatus, True Lies is characterized as an amplified American Bond film, with a Bond-like opening and a Schwarzenegger-style finale.
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The spy’s domestic problems anticipate later stories about dangerous men’s ordinary home lives. The film is described as adapted from a 1991 French comedy that Schwarzenegger discovered through his wife’s brother and brought to Cameron.
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Casino Royale and Skyfall are preferred as films over True Lies, while True Lies is defended as more fun; a hypothetical flight frames the viewing-order debate.
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The absence of successors to Schwarzenegger and Stallone prompts criticism of the Rock’s solo films and Vin Diesel’s dependence on Dom Toretto. Pain & Gain is praised as a performance but described as a disappointing film overall.
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True Lies is framed as a comeback after Last Action Hero. A contemporary magazine profile is recalled as showing Schwarzenegger controlling the earlier film’s branding and moving toward less violence, before returning to his strengths with Cameron.
Approx. transcript time · 00:19:28Read transcript
Career overreach is discussed through Heaven’s Gate, The Razor’s Edge, and Only God Forgives. Actors are considered more able than directors to recover from expensive failures; this remains an informal set of examples, not a completed ranked list.
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The career-recovery analogy becomes a tangent about Joel Embiid’s playoff record and Olympic prospects.
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Schwarzenegger’s late-1980s and early-1990s run is contrasted with a later shift toward more ordinary-looking action stars such as Cruise, Cage, and Damon.
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Cage or Affleck as Harry is questioned because Schwarzenegger’s enormous physical presence makes his domestic humiliation funny. Stallone is considered a plausible alternative.
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The bathroom fight is compared with Mission: Impossible’s later scene: Schwarzenegger’s size is said to make defeating several attackers more immediately believable than Cruise’s physique.
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Schwarzenegger’s controlled overpowering of opponents is contrasted with Cruise throwing his whole body into fights; the latter creates suspense while the former remains entertaining.
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Premiere’s summer predictions ranked True Lies first, followed by The Lion King, Maverick, The Flintstones, and I Love Trouble. The Mask, Forrest Gump, and Speed were predicted tenth through twelfth, illustrating how uncertain forecasting is.
Approx. transcript time · 00:26:12Read transcript
Contemporary production reports describe Cameron’s prolonged Florida Keys shoot and a budget exceeding $100 million. A separate recollection about James L. Brooks and a discarded Prince soundtrack is verbally attached to I Love Trouble, leaving the movie identity confused.
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A magazine account describes exhausted crew members and no-sequel shirts alongside continued admiration for Cameron; the contradiction is compared with loyalty to a demanding leader.
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Tom Arnold’s performance is recalled as a revelation despite his public reputation at the time. Both his comic partnership with Schwarzenegger and Paxton’s apparently effortless comic talent receive praise.
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:56Read transcript
An Oscar nomination for Jamie Lee Curtis is proposed against that year’s acting nominees. Jennifer Tilly’s nomination is initially misremembered as Bound and corrected to Bullets Over Broadway. Curtis is considered a lead rather than supporting performer, and a nomination is disputed.
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Nell is strongly criticized as the nominee Curtis might displace, while its contemporary acclaim is acknowledged.
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Curtis is called properly rated, then her talent relative to her filmography is debated. An unranked eight-film career list includes Halloween, Trading Places, True Lies, A Fish Called Wanda, My Girl, Freaky Friday, Halloween H20, and Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Approx. transcript time · 00:31:35Read transcript
Obvious doubles in Lethal Weapon and Heat are compared with The Irishman’s lack of one; subtle effects repairs to old films are proposed, including filling Rocky’s empty seats.
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Blue Steel prompts a discussion of its dark final act, confusion with Blue Thunder, memories of Runaway and Mother’s Boys, and enthusiasm for Tubi’s catalog.
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A hypothetical podcast would estimate wealthy entertainers’ fortunes and whether they could buy the Celtics, beginning with Cameron and Jerry Seinfeld.
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Cameron’s reported inventions, deep-sea work, and interest in firearms prompt admiration and increasingly absurd hypothetical projects, including underwater basketball.
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Florida Keys movies prompt alternatives including Out of Time and Night Moves; Wild Things is corrected to Miami. A hypothetical horny-Hackman month is proposed, not established as this episode’s theme.
Approx. transcript time · 01:34:29Read transcript
Best Damn Sports Show Period is briefly recalled with uncertainty about a female host’s identity.
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The closing discussion treats True Lies and Speed as late peaks before action filmmaking changed, with disappointment in Godzilla and the move toward ordinary actors replacing expensive specialist action stars.
Approx. transcript time · 01:54:12Read transcript