douglaswilson
I think of myself as fairly critical when it comes to comedy, because if I am not amused or laughing out loud in the appropriate places, I can't fairly call it funny. And I hate improbable and implausible plots. This movie is engaging throughout and is very funny at the key points. Admittedly, you want to bitch-slap the boyfriend for his stupidity, but let's face it, a lot of young guys are stupid when it comes to their girlfriends. And even that distraction works this for this film: It is, most of all, a great comedy role for its female star, Penelope Ann Miller, and this is the movie that made me a big fan of hers. Miller and William Forsythe are fine actors and have done as well for the viewing public in the 20 years since as they did in this film. And I am grateful to them for giving us a movie I like to watch every couple of years because it's that good.
g404c
I saw this movie on Christmas Day, 2005, having never seen it before. The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag really captures the mood of the early 1990s (has some of that '80s vibe present). Penelope Ann Miller is fun as Betty Lou, and Eric Thal and Cathy Moriarty also give fine performances.The movie is about a repressed, but zany woman who works in a library and is married to a police detective in small-town Missouri. When she happens about a gun one day, one thing leads to another and she ends up firing it, by accident, and later she confesses to killing someone all because she wants a more exciting life and for people to notice her.This movie has the same vibe as some others released in 1992 (Mo' Money, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Jersey Girl)--I do not know how to describe it--I guess it has a sort of innocence that seems to have all but vanished these days. I recommend The Gun In Betty Lou's Handbag for a rainy day.
kyrat
*SPOILERS AHEAD*Hysterical, overly sensitive woman is so eager for attention that she admits to a murder she didn't commit....merely because her husband (who seems quite nice) asks if they can celebrate their anniversary another night since he's just had a great chance to advance at his job.It makes women look Hysterical, Stupid, Overly needy & emotional, with over-active imaginations. (Not to mention the horrible stereotype of librarians!) This woman needs psychiatric help!Anyway, he ends up disgraced and fired from his job. She is now in danger from some poorly explained mafia types. Somehow they end up catching the mafia types and the murderer.And instead of suffering the consequences (the electric chair!!) or even just getting in trouble for perjury.... she ends up some sort of hero.NO PLOT. NOTHING funny in the movie. Completely pointless. Huge waste of time!! At least True Lies which is racist & sexist has a plot.
Tito-8
I just don't understand what was supposed to be funny about this movie, which is a pretty major flaw in a comedy. As opposed to many bad comedies where "thud" can be heard every few seconds due to the pathetic jokes, this movie had no thuds. I couldn't identify what was meant to be funny but simply wasn't. It didn't have jokes...even bad ones. It didn't have anything.
AD
