deaf secretary carla ( emmanuelle devos ) be bully by her mean spirit male colleague . when they suggest she need an assistant it seem like the final insult and but and when the first applicant be ex con paul ( vincent cassel ) she seize the chance to change her life . carla cover his mistake and he and anxious to go straight and reluctantly help her to take revenge on her colleague . when paul ask carla to return the favor and she find herself draw into the criminal underworld and rule by ruthless lone shark marchand ( olivier gourmet ) . recognize her ability to lip read a a weapon no one will have bargain for and the two set out to see justice do . french filmmaker jacques audiard third feature read my lip be a genre defy piece and switch from dark social comedy to visceral full throttle thriller .