8 Women (8 Femmes) (2002)

78% of critics liked it
(111 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(22,090 ratings)

A gaggle of mothers, wives, daughters, maids, and mistresses gather for a holiday homecoming at their country mansion -- and end up having to solve a murder-mystery -- in this musical-comic homage to studio-era "women's pictures" from acclaimed French director François Ozon. Partly inspired by… More A gaggle of mothers, wives, daughters, maids, and mistresses gather for a holiday homecoming at their country mansion -- and end up having to solve a murder-mystery -- in this musical-comic homage to studio-era "women's pictures" from acclaimed French director François Ozon. Partly inspired by George Cukor's 1939 classic The Women, 8 Femmes stars Catherine Deneuve as Gaby, a high-society matron just returned to her country house to celebrate Christmas with her husband; mother Mamy (Danielle Darrieux); sister Augustine (Isabelle Huppert); and daughters Suzon (Virginie Ledoyen) and Catharine (Ludivine Sagnier). Not long after they all arrive, however, do they find the man of the house with a knife in his back, whereupon everyone becomes a suspect -- including maids Chanel (Firmine Richard) and Louise (Emmanuelle Béart). The mysterious arrival of Augustine's sister-in-law Pierrette (Fanny Ardant) only complicates matters, as the titular eight women find themselves snowed in by a fierce blizzard, forced to confront the matter of the lifeless husband -- and their long-standing secrets and resentments -- without the aid of the police. Following its immensely successful release in France in early 2002, 8 Women enjoyed much acclaim at the Berlin and Toronto Film Festivals. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: François Ozon
Written By: François Ozon
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 20, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Feb 11, 2003
Studio: USA Films

Critic Reviews

Lisa Nesselson, Variety
Ozon's notion of derision is perfectly carried out by his multi-generational name cast.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
There are any number of moments that fans of French cinema could only have dreamed of ever happening.
Anthony Lane, New Yorker
Ozon's is the art of the white lie, told in blinding color, and tinged with surprising truths.
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
A mess? You bet, but one that's not without its pleasures.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
For pure camp, intentional or otherwise, this is right up there with The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Steven Rea, Houston Chronicle
8 Women may not plumb the depths of the female psyche, but it's stylish and frivolous in the most profound ways.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
An Agatha Christie drawing room mystery crossed with the '50s setting and melodrama of Douglas Sirk crossed with the musicality of Jacques Demy with some Aaron Spelling bitchery thrown in for good measure.
, Film4
There cannot be many people who wouldn't want to pay to see Deneuve smash a bottle over the head of an old woman in a wheelchair.
Mark Halverson, Sacramento News & Review
Frothy, racy frivolity starring such French all-stars as Danielle Darrieux, Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert and Emmanuelle Béart.
Boyd van Hoeij, bibloi.com
Klopt elementen van een Agatha Christie whodunnit, een frivole chansonmusical en de kleurrijke melodramas van Douglas Sirk op tot een luchtige souffle, als is de kooktijd wel wat lang.
, Time Out
This is a style of camp so broad that even the most bovine straight can get it.
Glenn Kenny, Premiere Magazine
Some may find Ozon's rigorously clever deconstruction of so many conventions a little too French for their tastes, but cineasts and worshippers of les femmes at their most fatales will find this farce wonderfully fierce.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Excepcional policial-comédia-drama-musical com um elenco fabuloso, direção de arte e figurinos notáveis e direção firme e elegante de Ozon.
Tyler Hanley, Palo Alto Weekly
In a film season dominated by male-oriented action flicks, 8 Women provides the feminine charm and sophistication to soothe the film-loving connoisseur in all of us.
Lucy Muss, Empire Magazine
The enfant terrible of French cinema, François Ozon's brave foray into the mind of not one, but eight, women is a gloriously-executed examination of what lies beneath the manicured façade of the female species.
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
How much viewers enjoy this depends on to what extent they're able to focus on the shining stars at the center while ignoring the narrative debris surrounding them.
, Sydney Morning Herald
The film starts to feel like decorative misogyny.
Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy
...the true spirit of the film is in the story of desperate women who will do desperate things to make themselves happy, no matter who they hurt.
Mark Dujsik, Mark Reviews Movies
The musical numbers are what ultimately undo the movie.
Karina Montgomery, Cinerina
A fluffy, super saturated 50's chick murder mystery - with songs!

Read all 23 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Anthony L

A quirky murder mystery/who-done-it caper starring a femme fatale cast of French beauties to die for. The script is funny and engaging, the characters are over the top and exciting and the set, colours and little details are stylish and oozing with class. On top of all that, it's… More
A quirky murder mystery/who-done-it caper starring a femme fatale cast of French beauties to die for. The script is funny and engaging, the characters are over the top and exciting and the set, colours and little details are stylish and oozing with class. On top of all that, it's a musical!! That was a very pleasant surprise, as was the entire film to be honest. Highly recommended!
Megan S

I actually really enjoyed this movie. It was strange and they kept breaking out in song for no apparent reason. It was a movie I could recommend to that guy who always came into FYE and asked for movies that take place in one place (the movie takes place entirely in a house, almost in… More
I actually really enjoyed this movie. It was strange and they kept breaking out in song for no apparent reason. It was a movie I could recommend to that guy who always came into FYE and asked for movies that take place in one place (the movie takes place entirely in a house, almost in just one room). It's definitely not a movie for everyone but if you like quirky foreign films, give it a chance.
Alice S

So bad it's good. With IMDb genre tags of Musical, Comedy, and Crime, it pretty much has to be. The songs are farcical nonsense - all character songs, nothing to further the plot - and the cinematography is staid, but I'm pretty sure that's intentional. Nevertheless,… More
So bad it's good. With IMDb genre tags of Musical, Comedy, and Crime, it pretty much has to be. The songs are farcical nonsense - all character songs, nothing to further the plot - and the cinematography is staid, but I'm pretty sure that's intentional. Nevertheless, it's nice to see all these beautiful legends of French cinema camping it up. Isabelle Huppert and Fanny Ardent are scrumptious. I want Emmanuelle Beart's face. Silence of the Lambs-style. Just cut it off and wear it.
Luke B

A bizarre and quirky French musical murder mystery. Each character reveals new plot points and has something to hide. The songs are beautifully written and well executed. The costumes and set design help to create a realistic atmosphere.
Sarah G

Pretty odd french film , which I don't recomend.
Yinalí R

Tricky. Mysterious. Strangely sexy.
Doctor S

Engaging whodunit set in roughly the 1930's as 8 women are trapped one snowy day together after Catherine Deneuve's husband is discovered murdered in his bed. Once forced to confront each other, enough skeletons come barging out of the closet to re-enact the undead army in… More
Engaging whodunit set in roughly the 1930's as 8 women are trapped one snowy day together after Catherine Deneuve's husband is discovered murdered in his bed. Once forced to confront each other, enough skeletons come barging out of the closet to re-enact the undead army in Jason and the Argonauts. This is a real treat for French cinema fans with a dream cast including Deneuve, the stunning Emmanuelle Beart, Virginie Ledoyen, then-newcomer Ludivine Sagnier, and scene-stealing Isabelle Huppert as an uptight spinster. Everyone is solid and enjoying themselves as the tone never veers into heavy drama, despite the adult themes. The audience is soon clued into this when the first musical number is absurdly sprung 20 minutes in! That's right, this parlor murder mystery features a song for each of the ladies to perform, which they do with their own voice a la Moulin Rouge. The lyrics shed a little light on each character but are essentially inconsequential, the songs are mere vaudevillian diversions. Some might find these interludes ridiculous, which they are and in almost any other movie I would be rolling my eyes too, but for whatever reason I enjoyed these flights of fancy. They all know how to deliver a tune! Much backstory is overlooked and the way the film ends is not completely satisfying, but this amusement park attraction is well worth the ride.
Janice :

Fresh and lovely french murder-mystery that touches upon the comedy and musical genre. Dark, yet manages to be bubbly and smart. I was surprised to find such an excellent cast of talented french actresses all in one film. It's cheesy, it's quirky, I loved it.
Sunil J

An odd choice for a musical but it's fun and visually enjoyable as well as featuring a few wonderful French actresses.
Dimitris S

Shoot the stars.Alternative titles for progressive musicals.Ozon like Winterbottom knows how to dig deep in the editing core and unleash a brand-new measure of unlimited distinction.Oh Beart,Darrieux,all ladies take my breath away...although murder isn't their fashion!
Lovable M

A campy murder mystery musical?! Sounds like the best idea EVER! :)
Emily B

A unique and bizarre musical murder mystery. The songs were laughable and most of them were rather bad, except for Emmanuelle Beart's song and the delightful 'Mon amour, Mon ami' (though Marie Laforet's original is far better). A great cast as well featuring some… More
A unique and bizarre musical murder mystery. The songs were laughable and most of them were rather bad, except for Emmanuelle Beart's song and the delightful 'Mon amour, Mon ami' (though Marie Laforet's original is far better). A great cast as well featuring some of France's best, but to me it was Isabelle Huppert's performance that really stood out - 'Combs never sleep!'

Read all 12 featured audience ratings

Cast

Catherine Deneuve
as Gaby
Isabelle Huppert
as Augustine
Emmanuelle Béart
as Louise

Fanny Ardant
as Pierrette
Virginie Ledoyen
as Suzon
Danielle Darrieux
as Mamy

See full cast

Now you can share movies with your friends on Facebook!

Discover movies your friends are watching
Keep track of what you want to see
Add your reviews to your Timeline

Get Started