The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag
Director: Allan Moyle
Writer: Grace Cary Bickley
Cast: Penelope Ann Miller, Eric Thal, Alfre Woodard, Julianne Moore, Andy Romano, Ray McKinnon, William Forsythe, Xander Berkeley, Meat Loaf, Catherine Keener
Seen on: 2.4.2018
Plot:
Betty Lou (Penelope Ann Miller) is a librarian, and married to Alex (Eric Thal), a police officer. But Alex and pretty much everyone else is ignoring her. And Betty Lou really doesn’t know how to make somebody pay attention. Not even when she finds a murder weapon is she able to make anybody listen to her. But she has had it and when she accidentally fires the gun herself and is arrested, she confesses to the murder herself. And suddenly all eyes are on her.
The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag is a very, very stupid film that makes absolutely no sense and isn’t funny despite how much it tries to be. It’s a film best forgotten (and it probably would have been already if it wasn’t for Julianne Moore’s small supporting role. At least that’s the reason I know about the film in the first place).
I am pretty sure that they wanted to tell an empowering story with the film. A story of a meek woman who finds her own and learns to stand up for herself. But unfortunately the plot is so far-fetched, Betty Lou’s characterization so overdone that in the end nothing makes much sense – neither narrative nor character arc.
My major point of contention with the entire thing was that I just didn’t understand why Betty Lou would so desperately try to keep Alex. He is nothing but horrible to her and I just don’t get it. Plus, making this her foremost motivation hinges her entire development on a dude, which is not exactly empowering or feminist.
In some thing it was rather entertaining. From today’s perspective it is rather enjoyable just how absolutely 90s the film is. It’s rare to get the style of a decade in an apparently so pure and condensed form. Plus, Julianne Moore is a star no matter where she turns up.
But other than that, I see no point in watching this film. Let me have taken the fall for all of you and save you 90 minutes of time you’d never get back.
Summarizing: ugh.
kalafudra's Stuff 
I was in this movie, I was in a Cadillac chasing Betty Lou, Penelope Ann Miller was Driving a blue Cadillac me and another stunt guy name Russel was in Elvis Famous pink Cadillac chasing Lou.As I was told on set was that the Cadillac I was in indeed did belong To Elvis,
This is the truth,me David johnson from Louisville Mississippi,yes I was in the Movie The gun in Betty Lous handbag” They was looking for a big guy to play two parts hitman and undercover Fbi, they picked me out of several Actors, I was told that I may get hurt in a car crash playing the parts and being a stuntman as well! We had a Badass Pontiac car like smoky and the bandit Had! I was going to drive it and burns the wheels off in that movie! But that dam car would not crank for anything! So me and Russell we get in a blue Caddilac and Penlope Ann Miller she gets into a beautiful pink Caddilac that belongs to Elvis Presley and Me and Russell take off Chasing her, I am also great friends with Rick and Bubba of the Rick and Bubba Show, I’m a Comedian on Rick and Bubba Show I go by David from Louisville on air!
Thanks for sharing, David, it sounds like you had a blast during the shoot!
Thank you,I had a great experience!was alot of fun.