Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
A $10-million diamond rip-off, a stolen identity, a new life married to a diplomat. Laure Ash has risked big, won big. But then a tabloid shutterbug snaps her picture in Paris, and suddenly, enemies from Laure's secret past know who and where she is. And they all want their share of the diamond heist. Or her life. Or both.
Brian De Palma's Femme Fatale is a quintessentially Palma-esque erotic thriller, dripping with voyeurism, Hitchcock homage, and operatic visual style. The cinematography is a genuine standout — split diopter lenses, sensuous tracking shots, and a bravura opening heist set at Cannes are among De Palma's finest work. Novelty is high because the film has an unmistakably singular voice and a audacious meta-narrative twist (the dream/alternate timeline structure) that few directors would attempt. The plot is convoluted but engaging enough, though it strains credibility and some threads feel underdeveloped. Acting is the weakest link — Rebecca Romijn is physically commanding but emotionally limited in the lead role, and supporting performances are uneven. The ending, while conceptually bold with its alternate-reality reveal, divides audiences and feels both clever and slightly deflating simultaneously.