The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun (2015) User Reviews

Better than expected

[Seth_Rogue_One · 7/10 · 22 January 2017]

A slow-paced stylish dreamlike psychological dramathriller that kept my interest rather well.

The story-telling is a bit vague at times and occasionally flat out incoherent but that suits the film and it's main character's state of mind who is a bit of a daydreamer, and is not always 'in touch with reality'.

It's a bit of a mystery so the less you know regarding the plot the better you'll probably perceive the film.

It felt a bit like something De Palma might have done in the 70's if he made a French movie. A bit film noirish. I'm sure there are other French directors that would be better to be referencing but I haven't seen tremendously many French films I must admit. Turns out it's actually a remake of another little known French film from 1970 by the same name.

Just read the main actress Freya Mayor's bio and I was really surprised to find out that she is Scottish, she seemed to be speaking French rather well so thought she was a native French (although I of course is no expert on that). Anyways she played the role well.

It's a very visual film some critics claimed it was a 90 minute musicvideo, I don't agree with that but I guess I can see where they are coming from. There is a lot of music in the movie and occasionally rather limited dialogue, but it works IMO and the soundtrack is great. And the cinematography is excellent.

It might not be a movie that's something for everyone's taste but it suited me just fine.

Visual but vacuous and incoherent

[ginocox-206-336968 · 6/10 · 6 January 2016]

"La dame dans l'auto avec des lunettes et un fusil" ("The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun") is a remake of a 1970 film of the same title starring Samantha Eggar and Oliver Reed, based on a novel by Sébastien Japrisot, who also wrote the earlier screenplay. Screen writing and producer credit for the remake go to Patrick Godeau, who has numerous credits as a producer but no prior writing credits.

One would think that in doing a remake, one would learn from the prior version, build on its strengths, improve its weaknesses and rework its flaws. However, this production displays the same faults criticized in reviews of the original. One minor change with significant implications is that in the 1970 film, Dany loses her way and by the time she realizes her mistake, continuing her journey doesn't seem like such a poor or drastic choice. In the remake, she makes a deliberate (if impetuous) decision, which puts her in a much less sympathetic light.

We aren't given much of an opportunity to know Dany before she embarks on her adventure. A few quick scenes portray her as socially awkward, submissive and a bit milquetoast. She is much more inclined to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune than to take arms against a sea of troubles, which makes the plot more plausible but doesn't make Dany a particularly sympathetic or interesting character.

Like the earlier film, the movie is set in 1970 or thereabout, when people used electric typewriters and carbon paper and revisions meant retyping the entire document from scratch. Nobody had cell phones, but CB radios were all the rage. The only rationale for this time setting is to make the plot slightly more plausible.

The story relies on a series of coincidences. As each coincidence occurs as part of a road trip, they seem highly improbable. If the character had instead checked into an isolated inn with a small staff, few guests and only one dining area, coincidental encounters and such might have seemed less unlikely.

Dany meets an egocentric self-serving rogue who is pretty much her opposite number in terms of personality, values and approaches to life. The movie's best scenes involve their interactions. This character could be a change agent who gives Dany the skills and outlook she needs to escape her predicament. After they part company, she does show some initiative in one reasonably clever scene, but quickly reverts to her passive role.

Eventually, Dany becomes caught up in the machinations of another character. This character's grand scheme dramatically impacts Dany's situation. It's never clearly explained, but its chances of success seem highly remote. The character tries to explain away some of the coincidences as some sort of preternatural force guiding Dany's choices.

The premise has considerably more potential than realized on screen. Dany's early choices could have complicated the other character's grand scheme, forcing that character into various spur-of-the-moment changes. (There is a bit of that in an encounter at a service station; however, how the other character came to be there in possession of a certain large object and managed to do things and leave unobserved by Dany or other witnesses seems implausible.) If Dany were to form an uneasy alliance with the rogue and develop new skills that allowed her to overcome increasingly difficult challenges presented by the other character's frantic efforts to adjust the grand scheme, it could have been a much better film. Films like "The Game" and "U-Turn" presented unsympathetic characters attempting to overcome challenges that intensified despite their best efforts.

Dany spends much of the film doubting herself and doubting her sanity. She never unravels the mystery surrounding her. Instead another character explains everything to her. At the end of the film, it's not clear if she has grown as a character and become better able to contend life's challenges. The film leaves many questions unanswered. It doesn't have a strong moral or theme. It's nicely photographed, but the style of cinematography seems outdated, like something from the 1970s.

The film stars Freya Mavor, which is about the best thing one can say about it. She is gorgeous. If she did nothing but stand there before the camera and smile, people would buy the DVD for the outtakes. Unfortunately, the script doesn't give her many opportunities to do much besides looking confused, but she looks great not doing much. Elio Germano does a credible job channeling Jean-Paul Belmondo as the rogue.

A worthwhile homage to a bygone type of film

[lazarillo · 15 February 2016]

This is not a movie I would recommend to EVERYONE, but a certain kind of viewer would definitely enjoy it immensely, mostly those that are already familiar with the colorful, psychological (and very Freudian) mystery-thrillers popular in Continental Europe in the 1960's and early 70's--movies like "The Frightened Woman", "Girl on a Motorcycle", "La Piscine", "All the Colors of Darkness", "Footprints on the Moon" and even UK/American films like "Repulsion" or "Psycho" fit in here a little. These films all are based on the old-fashioned idea of women as hysterical, mentally unstable creatures who are both easily manipulated by others and never too far from a complete psychotic break. Most of these films are regarded somewhat ironically today by their fans (like myself), but, of course, the irony in this movie is completely intentional, just like the nostalgia factor. The nostalgia meanwhile will no doubt appeal not just to fans of this long ago genre, but also to people who enjoyed other recent Euro films that pay homage to this era like the "OSS 117" films and the romantic French comedy "Populaire" (also a tale about tres sexy French secretary in pre-woman's lib days).

I won't rehash the plot, but this is a fairly effective thriller that really keeps the audience guessing about whether the protagonist is hysterically crazy or is being manipulated by others. Like the original films, it has a strong visual style, also very reminiscent of the recent French giallo homage "Amer", but not quite as over-the-top in its non-linearity and hallucinatory visuals. The lead Freya Mavor is a very strong asset. She's not necessarily believable as a mousy secretary at the beginning, because even in her more "repressed" guise she's sexy as all hell. But the same can be said of all the femmes that originally played these beautiful head-case roles--Catherine Deneuve, Edwige Fenech, Barbara Bouchet--or the modern-day actress Deborah Francoise, who played the "shy", sexed-up secretary in "Populaire".

The rest of the cast is mostly male and suitably either creepy and sinister or charming and sinister. Most notable is who plays the protagonist's handsome boss at the "Mad Men"-type ad agency where she works . His younger wife, who was a former colleague of the protagonist before she married the boss, meanwhile is played by Staci Martin from "Nymphomaniac". The only thing this movie is missing frankly is a gratuitous lesbian scene between them (which wouldn't have been gratuitous at all since these movies are all ABOUT style over substance). I doubt anyone will be too disappointed though because Mavor herself is certainly sexy enough for one movie and spends most of the film modeling various abbreviated fashions of the day or appearing in various stages of undress (and in one very hot sex scene).

Of course, there are many people who are perfectly fine with the fact that they don't make films like this anymore (even in France). But nevertheless as an homage to very different era, and a very different kind of filmmaking, this is certainly a worthwhile effort

Sadly Disappointing

[rebecca-12245 · 2/10 · 28 December 2015]

I love French films. I was excited by the title of the this movie; I thought it screamed outrageousness and defiance. The trailer is fantastic and commands attention and furthered my anticipation. The movie starts in an interesting way, but it is as if the writer is not able to handle the ideas or develop them in a compelling way. The plot is predictable after about 25 minutes into the film. The characters seem to devolve as the movie progresses instead of rises or becoming more fully realized. The actors in the film are beautiful and their clothing is attractive. The scenery, particularly, in the boss's house, the office, and the hotel are gorgeous and the scenery in general is appealing. However, the predictability of the film and the lack of character realization make it in some ways boring. I guess some viewers might just like watching the actors for their physical appearance and the quaint French scenery. So, I would not say that the film is awful, because it had potential but did not rise to it.

Intriguing if overelaborate thriller

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 18 November 2018]

For a long while I thought I was watching a live-action version of "Alice In Wonderland", or perhaps even a time-loop movie; when the elaborate plot finally comes together, it is in equal parts surprising and far-fetched. Joann Sfar's direction is top-notch; he maintains a dreamy mood throughout. Freya Mavor is a red-haired, apparently multi-lingual firecracker! **1/2 out of 4.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE SEA

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 24 October 2018]

Dany (Freya Mavor) is a mousy secretary, "thin with flaming red hair" who gets to work some overtime at her boss' house doing some typing (Pre-computer era). He (Benjamin Biolay) leaves with his wife (Stacy Martin) and Dany gets to drive his Thunderbird and opts to take the long way home. On her journey she encounters people who claim she was there the night or day before. This is very confusing for a girl that talks to herself, bending the audience to a MPD explanation.

The confusion that Dany felt, I felt too which appears to be the intent of the director. There were times Dany had a broken glass lens and other times not. I couldn't figure out if this was a clue or film screw up. The film was arty and aloof. It wasn't for me, but it seems to have a large audience. I did not enjoy this confusing thriller like the people who have read the book or seen the older version.

French with English subtitles.

Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity (Freya Mavor, Stacy Martin)

Well made and acted, but less than fully convincing

[I_Ailurophile · 6/10 · 20 April 2023]

I can't say I'm familiar with Sébastien Japrisot's novel, and the 1970 film is hard to come by, so I sat to watch this with no real foreknowledge or expectations. I think that puts me in a good position to assess the picture as objectively as one could. I'll say this, one way or another it does a good job of keeping one interested. As an unremarkable first act transitions into a second wherein the story and mystery strongly swirls, one can make fair conjectures about what's going on, though by all means the wide open possibilities and uncertainty keep one invested. Along the way many aspects are decidedly slick and enticing, to the point that I'm unsure if the music (score and soundtrack alike), cinematography, lighting, direction, and editing are appropriately rich and flavorful, or embellished and ill-fitting. The overall effect is to toe the line between notably heavy-handed and duly balanced, a tightrope act that one might even suppose is intentional in keeping with the broad tenor of the feature. I tend to believe it would have benefited from more of a purely delicate hand, though regardless it's to the credit of 'The lady in the car with glasses and a gun' that it fosters such robust viewer engagement.

One never knows entirely what they'll get when various genre labels are appended to a title, but this in this case the film emphatically plays up the mystery as protagonist Dany finds herself in a set of circumstances where everyone but her seems to know something about what's going on. Whatever else is true of this, whatever one may say of Gilles Marchand and Patrick Godeau's screenplay, it's gratifyingly well made. Especially early on I don't know if every single choice made in terms of the picture's craftsmanship was the best one, but I actually do admire the inherent strength in Manuel Dacosse's cinematography, Maryline Monthieux and Christophe Pinel's editing, and Agnes Olier's music. The production design and art direction are solid, and the costume design, hair, and makeup are lovely all around. The cast give adept, admirable performances; of course Freya Mavor stands out most as Dany, but no matter the size of the part, the likes of Stacy Martin, Benjamin Biolay, and Elio Germano all demonstrate capable range and nuance to bring the tale to life. Furthermore, I think Joann Sfar shows fine skill as a director, tying all the varied elements together, and I'd like to check out more of his work if given the chance.

All this is well and good. I like 'The lady in the car with glasses and a gun' more than not. Unfortunately, of all things, it's the last act - the last twenty minutes or so, really - where the trouble shines through. We're treated in a rather short period of time to an explanation of the entire plot from start to finish; if previously the feature walked a fine line between delicate and heavy-handed, here it tips the scales. It's at once smart, and outlandish, butting against the limits of suspension of disbelief; excessive and overabundant, and blunt and forthright. Without specifically knowing I couldn't say if this is an issue with Japrisot's source material or with this screenplay itself. Either way the end result is a mystery thriller where the general vibes, and the big moments of "whoa! What's going on!" and "a-ha! Look at this!" were prioritized over judicious care in storytelling - to the detriment of the whole.

I don't think this is bad; far from it. I do think the weakest facet of the movie, or at least the most questionable, is the writing, and that's a keystone without which the entirety just cannot stand. Maybe there's something I'm missing here, or maybe I'm just not properly attuned to the right wavelength. I'm glad for those who get more out of this than I do, and I do believe it earns a soft recommendation at large, and more if one is a fan of someone involved. No matter how you slice it, though, when all is said and done I don't think this is more than partly believable or satisfying as a viewing experience, and on that basis it's hard to muster significant enthusiasm for 'The lady in the car with glasses and a gun.'

Bimbo in Limbo

[macpet49-1 · 4/10 · 30 May 2016]

Difficult to believe that anyone could be as gullible and naive as the heroine of this tawdry little flick. She allows herself to be manipulated by everyone. She is prone to daydreaming so we're never really certain that she is truly experiencing what we're seeing on the screen. Is she a child who takes candy from strangers? O certainment! Would she follow Manson into the desert? Oui! Gladly! She's always open to new experiences esp. if they can do damage and result in tragedy. One has trouble empathizing. Since her background is of the lower classes, it's impossible to think she would be so earnest in her faith in people. Anyway, the fashions are fun, the cars retro and the villains villainous. Have fun and watch it when you're really unable to find anything else on Netflix. BTW, even a low rated foreign movie is better than anything produced in Hollywood!

Read the book instead!

[gergelyh-15596 · 3/10 · 13 February 2016]

This is already the second bad screen adaptation of a magnificent book. Well, to enjoy even the original story, you must either remember or imagine the times without cell phones and developed forensics investigation -- this seems to be a problem for some reviewers here. If you can, the book has everything lacking in the movie: a beautifully crafted chain of events with the murderer's accomplice constantly modifying his plains to frame and kill Danny and the seemingly unlikely chances that let her escape the net again and again. But these "random" events are deeply connected with her character that in the book undergoes an exemplary character development, first drifting with the events, then the self-doubt, and in the end taking the things in her own hand before reaching Marseille. ("The phoenix being born again" -- this is really dismal that this memorable point of the book is not shown in the movie at all, it's not even attempted.) Her inner strength is nowhere to be seen in the movie, although they succeeded in showing her meekness as well as her longing for freedom and luxury.

The actors seem to have done everything they could within the limits of the script, but Benjamin Biolay is miscast as Monsieur Caravaille: he should be a heavily built strong man, menacing already in his appearance, but energetic and silken at the beginning, not annoyed and lethargic all the time. Freya Mavor is rather good but her skin is not tanned, which is very important in the book -- this is why everybody she encounters on the road instantly believes she is from the upper class. With this very bold freckled and pale appearance she could never be mistaken for another woman. And the role of "Georges" is kind of quickly thrown together here, while vivid and remarkable in the book, so Elio Germano did not have a real chance either -- but succeeds to show at least a little from both his easy-going and menacing sides.

The air of the sixties is well represented sometimes, in the indoor settings, her clothing and certainly in the mighty Thunderbird itself -- but come on, all the roads are empty and besides the actors there is not a living person in sight at Paris-Orly. Some contemporary footages could have helped here!

Weird moody ride, briskly paced, intriguing ambiguity and darkly playful story

[alexishallaert · 8/10 · 1 September 2015]

Great aesthetics throughout, beautifully shot, amusingly playful dialogues -sometimes unreal, sometimes carrying shifting meanings or seemingly no meaning at all- this film is a dreamy, sensual ride with a gorgeous actress (and character) on which the camera often lingers... The male counterpart can also be evocative though, but I like how the film just celebrates this beautiful woman, and with great music makes her attitude even more catchy. Meanwhile, the character is ambiguous, sometimes naive, other times vindicative and strong, sometimes simply weak. I struggle to find the underlying meaning of the film and though I have theories I am more than satisfied to let my appreciation of the movie be on a purely aesthetic level.

It's hard to imagine how this movie could have been worse.

[eldonado · 1/10 · 12 April 2017]

A preposterous plot with a harebrained explanation at the end, where one of the main characters is killed. Far better to have killed the script writer. Probably all the actors are competent, main-stream actors, but a second-rate high school cast could have handled the roles. It's something about a secretary being framed for a murder committed by the wife of her boss, and it's kind of a movie about the end of innocence.

A boring simple film which tries to be artistic...

[Dr_Sagan · 9 January 2016]

Freya Mavor is a Scottish (not French) actress and model. She is thin and tall, easy one the eyes and definitely hot...

Well, I really hope you like her ...a lot, because she is practically in ...every scene of this movie! Not doing anything really. Walking, driving, observing, changing clothes...

There is a plot but is simple and totally naive with today's standards. That's why it is supposed to take place a few decades ago where forensics were basic and you could fool them more easily.

The narrative has some serious problems. You may think at some point that it might be similar to Memento, but that's far from the truth. The premise is really simple, just the narrative and the editing (lots of split screens and linear wipes) are confusing.

Overall: It is a boring film witch tries to be artistic in terms of narrative, editing and cinematography. The leading lady is practically in every scene so if you like her, you might be bored less. Generally, I don't recommend this movie.

Simple lady can drive car and gun easlly!

[saptesh786 · 5/10 · 17 January 2020]

It is an average movie with average story having a slow tempo. Shocking reveal of suspense is not effective. It was presenting in a very dull style whereas it shall be done in a little bit quickly speed with surprising way. However acting is good by leading female actress though her character is not well developed. Half of movie is very dull and we loose interest. It taking your test of patients. Last half hour is just watchable. End is confused. Glasses seen from starting but gun can seen only at end. I wonder how a simple & poor lady who working as typist and never saw a sea can fire a shot with gun as well as drive a car so fast. Director can make anything happens. Overall it is an average movie could be better.

Freya Mavor is gorgeous in a boring film

[GoatOfNeptune · 3/10 · 14 August 2021]

I give one point for each of Freya Mavor legs, one for her red hair. She is really a looker and the camera loves her, but this only holds on for 15 to 20 minutes, then the bore comes in, the script and the plot is running nowhere. Could have maybe hold up for a 30 minutes netflix episode, but not for a whole movie.

Pretty boring

[Evanoil · 5/10 · 31 December 2015]

I would suggest this movie to people who like slow and deeps flowing thrillers. Don't get me wrong , i like good foreign film , especially when it is shot in an extraordinary way as this one, really , the directors job is nice and all the flashbacks are making the film very special but there is one huge problem to this film and its the fact that its very very boring.It starts nice and you can see that its full of potential but as it moves deeper into the script its just becoming less and less appealing to a person.I've always liked french actors for their high skills of acting ,this title is no exception , you will enjoy not only the acting of the actresses mark my words .Still , i don't think that this one will be interesting for a high number of public and to be honest i don't recommend it.

Fluid yet dull, but with engaging performances

[michaelktyee · 4/10 · 24 January 2016]

Coherence and sense make a lot of watching any film. Without it, whether from a narrative or thematic standpoint, or both, there's nothing being communicated and thus barely anything worth watching.

That's, for the most part, the case here with this film, which is a remake of the 1970's French film of the same name — appropriating that title and narrative, and trying to explore a deeper 'murk' with the operative of sexual encounters driving the confusion that is suppose to neatly unravel the twists in the plot. However, the sex (why is it always sex?) only stalls the inevitable, underwhelming reveal, spoilers be damned.

At very least — emphasis on the "very" — the performances are still somewhat compelling; Freya Mavor is almost effortlessly charming and instantly watch-able, and I definitely get a feel for her character, almost solely off her performance alone. Also in supporting roles, Benjamin Biolay plays like he's auditioning for David Fincher's next noir thriller and Stacy Martin shows that she can transplant the natural charisma of Young Joe (Nymphomaniac, 2013). All three should be well worth a watch in more fortuitous and ambitious projects in the future.

Quite good!

[fil-nik09 · 8/10 · 31 December 2015]

What an interesting movie! There is something quite Lana Del Reysque about this movie that is really intriguing and beautiful at the same time.

The main female role is perfect. Very convincing. Very French and suitable for this kind of mystery thriller. The title of the movie just adds something unusual to it which goes perfectly with unusual development of the movie. As the girl is on her way to the sea ( that she has never seen) you get the feeling that she is not well mentally...that maybe she has a bipolar dysfunctional personality or something. That even maybe it is something in her glasses that she switches from time to time or even that her bipolar personality has something to do with mirrors... Well, at least, I had that feeling. And the feeling of mystery - I would say - is the predominant in the movie.

It is nicely shot. Keeps you guessing and wondering ... the end with the explanation is really unexpected, but it is fitting.

All in all, quite good! 8 from me.

as it is some 2 hours and 45 minutes to midnight and new 2016, this may very well be the last movie I watched in 2015. Not a bad ending.

What happened

[bob998 · 5/10 · 25 October 2019]

First, for which audience is this movie targeted? Sébastien Japrisot was known for tightly plotted, even if somewhat off the wall thrillers (Piège pour Cendrillon, L' été meurtrier) and the WWI story Un long dimanche de fiançailles. Most of the viewers of this one will not have seen any of these films, so the attraction must be the versatile BD artist and director Joann Sfar. I enjoyed Sfar s previous film Gainsbourg--it had a dreamy quality I liked--so I was prepared to like this one.

But the confused plot didn't help any. There is just no way somebody can control the behaviour of another person, until researchers come up with a chip that is implanted in the brain, and even then... No, this story just does not work. The performances range from super-glum (Biolay, Martin) to whimsical and sometimes anxious (Freya Mavor, whom I would like to see again).

Good idea but too slow

[abisio · 5/10 · 15 May 2016]

The main problem with The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun is that the movie is too slow for its own good. I am used to European movies with very slow pace; but this one has an editing issue. Every scene is too long and there are too many unnecessary repetitions or flashback used to suggest the madness of the main character. A timid secretary Danny is asked by her boss to finish a long and urgent job from his house; with the excuse to see again his wife (and old acquaintance). The next day she is asked to drop her boss, wife and kid on the airport and return the car to his home. Danny decides to go to see the sea; and strange things start happening. The movie is somewhat surreal; but we spend most of the running time in Danny's head and we are never sure what happened or is happening until the very rush end.

Transposition perfect of the Japrisot

[ignaziolicata · 10/10 · 7 September 2015]

The grace of the writing of Sebastien Japrisot has always been lucky in meeting with cinema:Compartiment tueurs-Costa Gravras, 1965, Piège pour Cendrillon- Andre Cayatte 1965 & Iain Softley, 2013, Un long dimanche de fiançailles, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2004. It lacked the appeal La Dame dans l'auto avec des lunettes et un fusil (1968). The USA version,The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun, despite of stars (Litvak Dir. with Samanthe Eggar and Oliver Reed) lacks of the the subtle perversion and 68 french touch of the Novel. Joann Sfar entered in original text with extraordinary delicacy, and it is able to return to us all the flavors of the novel(including the hidden social dimension), amplifying everything with the music and and a stunning, innocent, sensual Freya Mavor.You must to see it, and enjoy it as a unmistakable song,

246. The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun.

[tfminfl · 8/10 · 8 June 2018]

Found this one under the section 'mind games' and yep, that is what happens to this lady. First, let me warn you, it's French, so if you don't read good... or speak French... It tells the tale of gorgeous redhead secretary Dany, who's tasked with finishing up some work for her boss, and then roped into staying with him in and his wife, to drive their car back home for them, lucky her!! Well, she drops them off and now behind the wheels of an old sports car, she throws caution to the wind and decides to take the car for a joyride to the sea, because she's never seen the sea. As she's driving through a small town, she decides to have a little fun, as she tells the locals, shes a corporate exec in advertising, and thats all cool until she's attacked in the restroom, and after that, reality gets a little weird, well, those same locals start talking to her about the stuff that she went through the previous night, with her car's break lights out, and hurting her wrist... whoa, she wasn't in this town last night, and she just now hurt her wrist in the attack. And as she just tries to get back home, she also engages in some naughtiness with a dude, that just seems to be waiting for her, and her alter ego, kinda just goes with it, and well gets screwed in a few different ways by this dude, but finding out the truth is more screwed up than anything that's happened. Good movie, thriller, with a touch of artsy fartsy thrown in. Filmbufftim on FB.