This film screened 30th January 2010.

Jacques Audiard has a fascination with life’s underdogs and the ingenious means they employ to overcome their lowly status. The heroine of Read My Lips is downtrodden office secretary Carla (Emmanuelle Devos), who suffers from hearing difficulties. Like many of Audiard’s characters, this seemingly ordinary individual harbours ambitions and isn’t above a little deceit when it comes to getting ahead. Carla’s chance for advancement comes in the unlikely form of Paul (Vincent Cassel),
a rough ex-con who needs a job to keep his parole officer at bay. Carla hires Paul as her assistant and uses him to advance her position. She returns the favour by helping him in a dangerous plan to rob a gangster of his drug money. Skilfully juggling elements of the romantic comedy and the film noir, Audiard combines the laughs and the thrills with such mastery that the entire film exerts an exhilarating sense of excitement.