Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her | Rotten Tomatoes

Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her

PG-13

Released Jan 22, 2000

1 hr. 46 min.

Drama

LGBTQ+

List

76%

21 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

In California, a group of women struggle with personal problems as their paths intertwine in unexpected ways. Dr. Elaine Keener (Glenn Close), the sole caretaker for her aging mother, turns to tarot card reader Christine (Cameron Diaz) for spiritual aid. Christine grapples with her own angst due to her lover's debilitating illness. Meanwhile, a bank manager (Holly Hunter) deals with an unwanted pregnancy, two sisters pursue romantic interests and a housewife gets back into the dating game.

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Jeff M

If ever there was a cinematic example of the old saying "too many cooks spoil the broth" - this is it! Directors like Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson have made careers making films with overlapping storylines that feel epic and almost breathtaking (NASHVILLE and MAGNOLIA come immediately to mind). The filmmakers here seem like they're trying to take the same approach, but it's just not jiving. An assemblage of actresses at the top of their game should be cause for celebration; however, this is a passionless experience that feels almost experimental in its approach. And truth be told, I was bored to tears. To be honest, I nodded off twice while watching this and the 109 minute running time probably amounted to more like 135 minutes as I had to rewind and try to figure out where I left off with things. There isn't a standout performance or storyline here - everyone seems on the same page but it just held no interest for me whatsoever. And I'm not sure what the whole point of the movie is supposed to be. The efforts to link some of the storylines felt a bit forced, and I can't say there was a character here for which I felt anything other than ennui.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/26/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Straight to the heart

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Things you can tell by looking at her. Strange title that didn't work for me. After watching what seemed like a slow torturous journey into these womens lives, I was left wondering what in the world you could tell by looking at them. It was odd. A tarrot card reader who wouldn't answer a question about her girlfriend's dream. A sister who says, hey go nail my sister, you'd be doing her a favor. Ew. A clearly mentally ill and abusive homeless person verbally attacking someone. So many parts of the movie didn't read as normal responses. Bizzare.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Good cast, bad movie. I kept waiting for something to happen. It's very slow and a little confusing. Who was the woman that killed herself? Was there a man involved and why was her house cleaned out— (no photos), etc.? What mother sniffs her son while he's sleeping (creepy)? Why does the Cameron Diaz character care about her lipstick color if she's blind? Is she blind because of illness or an accident? Unclear. Why did her lover pass her in the elevator and keep walking? And why did this same man get around so much, sleeping with three of the characters? Was he also a lover of the dead woman? Why the mini-investigation into her life to discover she had lost a baby many years ago? The movie is quite depressing and is a very dim view of middle-aged women. While it's nice to see a movie cast with middle-aged women, it would have been nice if it could have been a storyline that showed them to be vibrant and thriving instead of pale and waning. For me, this movie was a waste of time.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

adam b

Usually not my particular taste but the fluidity of the film works so well, it's hard to not like this film

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

uncle p

Story/Screenplay: (3/5) It's one of those stories where everyone's individual storyline is connected to someone else's, until by the end of the film all the connections come around in a circle and you're back to the starting storyline. It's been done before with other films, but done better. This one is really low-key and lacks the drama that could drive the story or engage the viewer. Duration/Tempo: (3/5) At 1 hour and 49 minutes, it's an average length movie that felt about the same. There weren't any spots that were slower than others, but the pacing in general was on the slow side. Cast & Crew: (3.5/5) Solid performances across the board, but special mention goes out to Cameron Diaz and Holly Hunter. Summary: (3/5) The cast was good, but the story was middling and the film could have picked up the pace a bit. Overall, a thumbs down.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Rodrigo Garcia

Director

Glenn Close

Dr. Elaine Keener

Cameron Diaz

Carol Faber

Calista Flockhart

Christine Taylor

Kathy Baker

Rose

Amy Brenneman

Detective Kathy Faber

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TIME Magazine

If the stories sometimes use Creative Writing 101 devices (like a quasi-prophetic homeless woman), the total effect is as spare and haunting as the film's arid, beautifully shot setting.

Jun 13, 2010

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

A collection of five femme-oriented vignettes that are not intricately linked dramatically but overlap characters, this observant, emotionally acute drama is distinguished by a pronounced poetic sensibility in its writing and visual style.

Aug 5, 2008

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Garcia excels at eliciting strong performances throughout and maintaining a consistent mood poised delicately between wry comedy and more serious contemplation of contemporary American female lives.

Feb 9, 2006

Full Review

Michael Cuby

them.

Centered on a layered performance by Glenn Close as a doctor...

Sep 29, 2022

Full Review

Robert Pardi

TV Guide

An imaginatively constructed soap-opera with a high-powered cast, this film follows several narrative threads, all involving unfulfilled Los Angeles women who find inner peace after learning there are worse things than loneliness.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 13, 2010

Full Review

Betsy Bozdech

DVDJournal.com

The film has its weak points -- most notably the cartoonish character of Nancy ... -- but as a showcase for quiet, nuanced acting, it can't be beat.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 21, 2006

Full Review

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Synopsis

In California, a group of women struggle with personal problems as their paths intertwine in unexpected ways. Dr. Elaine Keener (Glenn Close), the sole caretaker for her aging mother, turns to tarot card reader Christine (Cameron Diaz) for spiritual aid. Christine grapples with her own angst due to her lover's debilitating illness. Meanwhile, a bank manager (Holly Hunter) deals with an unwanted pregnancy, two sisters pursue romantic interests and a housewife gets back into the dating game.

Director: Rodrigo Garcia
Executive Producer: Elie Samaha, Andrew Stevens
Screenwriter: Rodrigo Garcia
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Franchise Pictures, LTZ II, Inc., Avnet/Kerner Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Mature Themes|Language)
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 22, 2000, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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