Read My Lips
BUY AT:
See more details, packaging, or compare
Synopsis
Two outcasts are drawn together by crime and passion in this early tour de force from director Jacques Audiard. Carla (Emmanuelle Devos, who won a César Award for her performance) is an unappreciated, hard-of-hearing employee at a nondescript construction company. Her lonely life gets a jolt of excitement when she hires a new assistant: Paul (Vincent Cassel), an ex-con who soon enlists her (and her lip-reading ability) in a risky scheme. With visceral camera work and sound design, Audiard immerses viewers in the duo’s increasingly turbulent world, blending noir conventions with complex character development for a thriller of unique depth and emotion.
Picture 10/10
Jacques Audiard’s Read My Lips arrives on 4K UHD from The Criterion Collection, presented on a triple-layer disc in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The 2160p/24hz image, sourced from a new 4K restoration of the 35mm original camera negative, features Dolby Vision HDR. A standard Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer and all video supplements is also included.
Going in, I wasn’t expecting miracles—this early-2000s thriller seemed likely to look “perfectly fine” and not much else—but the results are genuinely outstanding. The image is sharp and clean as anticipated, yet what really surprised me was how transformative HDR and Dolby Vision prove to be. The dynamic range is wide and nuanced, with inky blacks and dazzling highlights that retain detail.
Daytime café and restaurant scenes are especially striking: sunlight pours through windows and reflects off surfaces brilliantly, even catching on Vincent Cassel’s leather jacket without washing out texture. Just the range in contrast in these scenes is incredible. The nightclub sequences impress as well, with deep shadows contrasted against the punch of strobing lights. Colors are vibrant, reds in particular, and the transfer brings out the film’s occasional noir flourishes, such as Carla (Emmanuelle Devos) hiding in a closet while a shaft of light cuts across the frame. There's such a wonderful neo-noirish vibe to the film and a lot of that has to do with how well the light and shadows end up being rendered here.
Criterion’s encode is also impressive, handling the very fine grain structure beautifully, even in bright areas where compression can usually falter with their presentations. I didn't notice any signs of that and the image remains very clean with a fantastic film texture. Overall, this presentation exceeded my expectations by a wide margin, making for a very welcome and wonderful surprise.
Read My Lips - Screen Captures
Audio 8/10
The film is presented with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix that suits it well. Alexandre Desplat’s suspenseful score is spread effectively across the channels with a solid low end, while dialogue comes through crisp and natural. The bass is used with particular care, especially in moments when Carla removes her hearing aids, where the track captures only deep vibrations. It also beats wonderfully during the pulsing nightclub sequences. Those club scenes also make strong use of the surrounds, with music enveloping the viewer at high volume. Overall, it’s a clean, dynamic mix that enhances the film’s atmosphere.
Extras 8/10
Criterion’s edition leans heavily on previously produced material, beginning with a 2001 audio commentary featuring Emmanuelle Devos and Vincent Cassel. Recorded in French with optional English subtitles, it’s a lively track as the two reminisce about the production and working with Jacques Audiard. One theme that emerges across the supplements is how much the film evolved during shooting, furthered along by the fact Audiard was open to ideas from his others and often changing course on the spot. Devos and Cassel also enjoyed the chance to play less glamorous roles, with Cassel apparently devising much of his character’s look. Their chemistry keeps the commentary moving, with little dead air, and it proves to be rather fun.
Newer material (all found on the Blu-ray) includes Revisiting “Read My Lips,” a 41-minute 2024 documentary, likely produced for a French release, featuring interviews with Audiard, cinematographer Mathieu Vadepied, and cowriter Tonino Benacquista. It offers a solid overview of the film’s development, from Marc Behm’s initial treatment to the many changes made during production, but is ultimately not much more than a typical look back at a production. That said, those interested in it should certainly watch it.
Criterion contributes one newly produced feature: a 13-minute afterword with Audiard. Here he expands on his influences, likening his early films to 1960s Italian comedies (he cites Vittorio Gassman), and discusses casting choices, particularly his desire to give Devos a meatier role at a time when he felt she was being underused (he also felt Cassel brought that comedic Gassman quality). It’s a strong companion to the commentary and documentary, though a little underwhelming as the only Criterion-original piece.
Additional archival content includes a 2002 interview with composer Alexandre Desplat (14 minutes), where he discusses his collaborations with Audiard and finding the film’s specific musical rhythm. It’s a serviceable feature, though its questions-fed-through-text-prompt format feels very much of its DVD era. More engaging are nine minutes of deleted scenes with optional commentary by Audiard, revealing dropped subplots and an alternate ending. Interestingly, Audiard had already decided against that ending before production, but the producers insisted it be shot anyway.
The package is rounded out with the film’s trailer and an insert essay by Ginette Vincendeau, which provides valuable scholarly context and situates Read My Lips within Audiard’s eclectic filmography. While one might wish for more substantive new video material or more academic material, the collection remains consistently engaging and informative.
Closing
Criterion delivers an outstanding 4K presentation with strong audio and a thoughtful, if mostly archival, set of supplements that highlight Audiard’s evolving craft.
BUY AT:
