The 1995 remake of Audrey Hepburn’s “Sabrina” was horrifying. The remake of her “Charade,” retitled “The Truth About Charlie,” isn’t bad.

Reason No. 1 “Truth,” works: Hepburn’s role has been altered so her replacement, Thandie Newton, won’t suffer from direct comparisons, as Julia Ormond did in “Sabrina.” Reason No. 2: Newton is a delight.

The actress (an alumnus of “Flirting,” which also provided early roles for Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts) lacks the elegant unflappability of Hepburn, who could fend off a maniac while balancing a book on her head and sipping a champagne cocktail. But Newton’s high-spirited oddness is appealing.

Whereas “Charade” was mostly a fizzy romantic comedy with elements of suspense, “Truth” is mostly a mystery with a smidge of kissy-face. Director Jonathan Demme whips together lots of fun stuff hip, Parisian nightlife, percussive world music, wide-eyed lovers, flashy camerawork swiped from “Run Lola Run” (one character is even named Lola) in a successful effort to keep the movie diverting and light.

But Demme can’t divert us from the fact that Mark Wahlberg, opposite Newton, is a lump. Forget that he’s spelling for Cary Grant. Even on his own merits, Wahlberg is meant to dazzle us with charm and, instead, lulls us to sleep. Demme specializes in highlighting the unique talents of actors (Melanie Griffith in “Something Wild,” Mary Steenburgen in “Melvin and Howard,” Michelle Pfeiffer in “Married to the Mob”), but Wahlberg’s blankness, perfect for “Boogie Nights,” is the acting equivalent of the word “duh.”

That problem is best underscored by a line lifted from “Charade.” When Hepburn told Grant, “You know what’s wrong with you? Absolutely nothing,” you knew just what she meant. When Newton says it to Wahlberg, you wonder why she hasn’t noticed that his personality was surgically removed.