Case 78. FEMME FATALE (2002) | Dir Brian De Palma | A Double-Crossing Lynchian Rival

This week, Cinema Sleuths investigates Brian De Palma’s Femme Fatale (2002), the stylish neo-noir thriller starring Rebecca Romijn, Antonio Banderas, Rie Rasmussen, Peter Coyote, Gregg Henry and Eriq Ebouaney. We investigate the film’s elaborate opening heist, split-screen imagery, surveillance, dream sequences, Hitchcockian influences and nonlinear storytelling, while examining De Palma’s fascination with identity and the unreliable nature of what we see. We also explore the movie’s place within the neo-noir revival of the 1990s and early 2000s, asking whether Femme Fatale is an underrated Brian De Palma gem or an example of style overwhelming substance.   CASE FILE: FEMME FATALE (2002) Directed by: Brian De PalmaWritten by: Brian De PalmaStarring: Rebecca Romijn, Antonio Banderas, Rie Rasmussen, Peter Coyote, Gregg Henry and Eriq EbouaneyGenre: Neo-Noir / Crime / Thriller / Mystery / Heist         Cinema Sleuths (Formerly Mean Streets) is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth  Edited by Luke Deckard  Theme song by Luke Deckard  Logo by  Phil Dragash    DISCLAIMER All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law. *All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*