Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

A funny thing happened in the grocery store last Sunday as we shopped for the usual things, lentils, some coffee, some items of little interest. This particular chain of supermarkets has everything in it from apples to zucchini. It also has a small section that sells audio and video products. There was a bin of movies, with some real gems in it: The Usual Suspects, The Ring, and of course, Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her. My wife said, I'd like to buy that one. Well, considering it was only four bucks (the equivalent in US$), I said, well, why not? So, it was thrown into the basket as well.All I can say is, wow. I was so moved by the first viewing, laughing and cheering and crying at times. It was worth the price and more, much more. This was a movie that deserves to be seen more than once, and so we let a day go by... and watched it again.From this point on, there be spoilers!It has been said that there are some very loose links between all the characters... ah but that is not the case! The links are very, very strong and reveal themselves after a second viewing.Opening the movie shows Police Detective Fabor investigating a suicide of a young lady in a red dress.First, we are introduced to Dr. Keener. At home, she is caring for her mother and rushes to answer every telephone call, obviously expecting an important call. One call, she says in the conversation, ah yes, Debbie's friend. It turns out Debbie's friend is a Tarot reader, who is Christine. The reading is performed as Christine reveals everything to Dr Keener that is happening in her life. Watch carefully as Glenn Close slowly changes her expression in a single take from bemusement to a saddened realization of what really is happening in her life. The reading ends, Christine leaves, and Dr Keener sits in her chair pondering the reading. The telephone rings, and unlike before, she sits and sits while it rings and rings.This interwoven theme continues, as we find that Rebecca is also friends with Debbie, and that Rebecca winds up seeing Dr Keener for a procedure. After an emotional exit from the medical complex, we see her stop to cross a street, as a young woman in a flowered shift, crosses with her carrying a red dress.Later, in a very tender episode concerning Rose and Albert, we see the young woman in the flowered shift buying some cosmetics in the supermarket.Christine and Lilly say their goodbyes to each other as Lilly lays dying. Christine, during a sleepless last night with her partner, goes to the balcony, and watches an unhappy woman in a red dress cross the street clutching herself. We also see later in the morning, a pretty young blonde child feeding her canaries on the balcony of the apartment next door.There is so much more, it would be unfair to reveal all of it, so I will finish it here.End of the spoiler portion.See this movie, rent it, buy it. You will love it. You will cry for joy, for sadness, for the unfairness of life, for all of its elements. It will not disappoint you. There are no explosions, no gun battles, no car chases. There is real life, up on the screen for you to see.I rate this a 9 out of 10 for only one reason. The Spanish subtitles in the version I purchased are sometimes way off base. And at times, I had to explain the difference in dialogue to my wife, who speaks no English, and the subtitles, with some key points mistranslated that come out later as essential plot points.

I know that when some people go to the movies they wish to be transported to some place where reality is suspended and everything is a fantasy world or a thrill ride. However, this film is a rare gem because it captivates your attention without any special effects or strange situations. The people in this movie for better or worse are real. If you want to see a movie about real people with real connections/relationships then this is the movie for you.Each of the women in the movie seem to be seeking for some sort of human contact. Each woman has her foibles that lead to her loneliness or failure. By briefly looking into each woman's life we see what is causing her heartache...thus, we see the things we can tell just by looking at her, or rather, things we can see by looking into her life.While it has been several years since I saw this movie it has always stood out in my mind. I generally enjoy Holly Hunter and Glen Close and there performances were proficient but I did not find them to be as captivating as the Christine-Lily combo and Cameron Diaz. Calista Flockheart and her counterpart present a touching couple and perhaps the most honest and heartfelt relationship in the film. Both actresses are believable and engaging. As far as Cameron Diaz goes, she totally owns this movie as the best performance. I have lived with someone who is legally blind and Cameron Diaz truly exhibited what it is like to be blind. Additionally, none of her lines were delivered in a flat way and she captured my attention for every moment she was on screen. Normally, I do not like Ms. Diaz's work but this changed my mind and I hope that one day she will have another chance to prove her acting chops like she did in this film.

"Hanging in thin air" says it about as well as I can.There weren't enough points of connection between the stories to keep that part of it interesting. Each story trailed off to an ambiguous and inconclusive segue in to the next. Some of these were tied together later, though.I've heard the same things said about the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.However, the cast did a fine job with a dubious script.My favorites: Glenn Close, Kathy Baker, Holly Hunter, Amy Brenneman, Danny Woodburn. Oh well, Cameron Diaz, too.Matt Craven was wonderfully smarmy, although it wasn't quite believable that any woman, even a blind one, couldn't spot that at 100 paces away.p.s. Paul is right, it's not strictly a chick flick. It speaks to men as well, to the extent that it finds its voice.

Opening scene of the film sets you up to this title perfectly. A female detective looks at a dead woman with a wondering eyes.cut to title `Things you can tell just by looking at her' so much is said.yet so much is left for you to explore.indeed.as the story unfolds the title makes more sense to you.There are 5 stories. A variety of women facing different issues in their lives. You only get to see a portion of it.but you can tell by just looking at her.the rest of her story... You can feel her sorrow, her misery, her dilemma, her battling, her triumph, her set back her strengths & her weaknesses.there are just too much you ca get out of it.if you look hard enough. It's a very powerful piece of work. Wonder did the director realize it? It gives a lot of space for people to look at others life & at the same time pause to take a closer look at themselves. Interestingly, there is always a character within each story that tells the protagonist about themselves.things that they oversee.perhaps.however, you may realize such analysis of oneself is often obvious.but you need a 3rd party to vocalize it. A highly recommended piece of film. A clever use of 5 large pieces of montage (5 loose story) that binds your emotions together.