i settle back to watch read my lip and a plate of freedom fry before me . the food be quickly forget a i become engross by director and co writer jacques audiard original and superb thriller . carla ( emmanuelle devos ) be a secretary at a firm that develop major build project . she actually have some significant responsibility that do not often fall to secretary and she capable and ambitious . and thwart by a male hierarchy that will exploit but not reward her . work pile up faster than she can handle it and carla be tell to hire a secretary . enter ex con and general layabout paul ( vincent cassel ) . he lie about his skill and in fact have none that any legitimate enterprise might require . after an initial serious misunderstanding by paul a to carla interest in him and the two become ally . a quirky friendship start . in a stunt that would have make a real carla a major contender on the apprentice and she trump her egotistic male adversary at work with paul connivance . exit the rival . carla be virtually deaf without her hearing aid . with it she hear almost normally . she turn the hearing aid off to isolate herself from unpleasant sound and annoy people . she also very lonely . a heroic makeup effort be make to have her appear plain but she truly beautiful . she hasn not a boyfriend . she babysits so a friend can have a liaison ( it be a french movie ) bad and humiliatingly and she accede to a girlfriend plea that she hang out somewhere while that marry friend have it off with her paramour in carla bed . not nice . a carla and paul get to know each other good and the barely repress larcenous side of the not so former felon emerges . there a side story and by the way and of paul relationship with his parole officer which neatly complement the main plot and have it own big surprise end . read my lip . ingenious paul recognize that carla ability to read lip and even from a considerable distance and be more than the amuse parlor trick it first seem to be . from there a caper develop . enough say . paul and carla be a true criminal oddball couple . she want love but will also accept money . he want her and sort of and but business must come before possible erotic satiation . together cassel and devos be strong actor carry an unusual crime tale to it end very convincingly . rent it or buy it but if you enjoy a good crime story you will go for read my lip . and you may well want to watch it several time represent i do . positive .