True Lies

Harry Tasker is a high-level covert operative who keeps his true line of work hidden beneath the guise of a mundane computer sales job. At home he's a dutiful husband and father, but his marriage is fraying when his wife, Helen, grows suspicious of his behavior and appears drawn to a charming used car salesman. Meanwhile, Harry's real life involves hunting a terrorist ring that's smuggling nuclear warheads into the United States. The film follows the collision of his two worlds, mixing explosive field missions with awkward domestic confrontations, as Harry tries to stop a catastrophic plot without blowing his cover or losing his family.

Released in 1994 and directed by James Cameron, the movie is an English-language adaptation of the French comedy La Totale!, with creators Brent Boates, Claude Zidi, and Simon Michaël credited among the source material. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, and Tia Carrere.

The film earned awards attention for its performances and genre blending, and Jamie Lee Curtis won a Golden Globe for her role, marking a notable recognition for her turn as Helen Tasker.

Critics and audiences generally gave the movie solid marks, reflected in an average around 7.1 out of 10 from viewers. Reviewers praised the way the film mixes big action set pieces with domestic comedy, and the themes center on identity, trust in marriage, and the absurdities that happen when ordinary life collides with espionage.

True Lies left a lasting mark on 1990s pop culture, chiefly for pairing high-budget spectacle with screwball marital humor and star-driven charisma. Several sequences and the film's tonal balance have been referenced or parodied in later action comedies, and the chemistry between Schwarzenegger and Curtis helped the movie stand out as a mainstream action film that could also mine laughs from relationship dynamics.