The basic--and immediately evident--premise of "Read My Lips" is that someone who has moderate-severe hearing loss, but who can read lips, is not always at a disadvantage. For example, Carla, the protagonist of this film, can tell when people are talking about her, and these people have no knowledge that she is "overhearing" them.
Unfortunately, the film never lives up to the creativity of this premise. Probably the most important defect is that
Emmanuelle Devos, the starring actor, is supposed to be unattractive. (Not a subtle factor--this is made very
clear.) Of course, Ms. Devos is stunningly beautiful.
She isn't even given the typical Hollywood "glasses and bad hairstyle let's pretend look." People just say she's unattractive.
Suspending disbelief is one thing; throwing disbelief out the window is another. In any event, the characters
never come to life, the romance makes no sense, and the whole business just fritters away. Too bad--this could have been a winner.
Unfortunately, the film never lives up to the creativity of this premise. Probably the most important defect is that
Emmanuelle Devos, the starring actor, is supposed to be unattractive. (Not a subtle factor--this is made very
clear.) Of course, Ms. Devos is stunningly beautiful.
She isn't even given the typical Hollywood "glasses and bad hairstyle let's pretend look." People just say she's unattractive.
Suspending disbelief is one thing; throwing disbelief out the window is another. In any event, the characters
never come to life, the romance makes no sense, and the whole business just fritters away. Too bad--this could have been a winner.