Rouge à lèvres et arme à feu

If this was a film about two guys, it would seem silly, stupid and highly improbable. For that matter, it would be hard to believe if both of the women were Americans, and the setting was New York or Los Angeles. But the setting is Britain, and although one of the women is American, the other is more conventionally English. The mix makes for enough reasonable doubt that the story seems at least imaginable. Otherwise, plots in which two women are the central characters in a send-up of gangster films are rare, and this one is treated intelligently. The two women are smart and quick witted. In contrast, the bad guys are not just goof balls, like the title would seem to imply. They are creepy and dangerous, and the two gals soon find themselves in over their heads. The tension sometimes approaches real drama, but it is ultimately a comedy,. It is well worth watching, although the ending may seem a bit abrupt. The two ladies have minds of their own and some great lines to say.

High Heels and Low Lifes

The trailer tells us this is the next ‘Thelma and Louise,' but this wild and spicy flick is more like Starsky and Hutch meets Absolutely Fabulous. Brought to us by the veddy British, Fragile Films, the same people that brought us Spice World and is currently between two Wilde takes; 99's ‘Ideal Husband' and next year's ‘Importance of Being Ernest.' Girls just want to have fun.

The overall theme is that old-time-Hitchcock-religion where Joe Everyman becomes unwittingly entangled into crime and intrigue. The stars are Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack as a nurse and thespian respectively. These are the two Joanne Everybodies with a UK twist of sophisticated slapstick like Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau.

These women are presented as smart, strong and beautiful. Yay. And all the guys are either corrupt or useless. Just like real life. Min has a dumb boyfriend who's electronic eavesdropping picks up a cell phone mid-bank heist. Mary, the actress, fresh from a looping session with an animated tomato, sees the overheard phone conversation as an economic opportunity to squeeze the bad guys. `They'll never listen to a woman,' insists Driver. Mary says, ‘This is the twenty-first century and we do all jobs now.' Minnie crosses with `Do you want to extort money or raise consciousness?' Mary's answer, `Both!'

The rehearsals for the blackmail phone calls to the bad guys are a hoot. The writing comes from two comedy vets from the BBC, Km Fuller who cut his teeth on ‘Red Dwarf' and Georgia Pritchett from the sassy ‘Smack The Pony' and nicely directed by Mel Smith who did ‘Mr. Bean.'

Highlights include a very nice travelling matte midsection when both sides rally to battle reminiscent of the opening title sequence to Knots Landing and a smashing performance from Sir Michael Gambon, the great character actor which is another word for interesting.

The first time I watched High Heels and Low Lifes it was on TV late, somewhat around 1 or 2 in the morning during the week. Having never heard of it before and not expecting anything, I kept watching it and ended up surprised. Sure, the story is a bit thin and there are no well known actors in it, but this movie simply works. In it's best moments, the chemistry between the two leading actresses works really well and is enjoyable to watch, plus the rest of the cast (especially the police) adds charm as well. It's just the right film to watch when it rains outside and you don't want any thrilling rides or deep plots but want smile or even laugh sometimes and just have a good time.

An out of work actress and a nurse blackmail a gang of bank robbers - but have they taken on too much? Imagine Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels with "Girl Power" and you've about found this movies level. Lots of comedy as Mel Smith shows he knows how to combine a funny script with slapstick humour, but without making the whole thing childish. A very good film I heartily recommend.

"High Heels and Low Lifes" is a British comedy from 2001 starring Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack as friends who become involved in a robbery and decide to take matters into their own hands.

Driver plays a nurse, Shannon, and McCormack is her actress friend Frances. Finding out about a robbery nearby, they decide to blackmail the robbers for $2 million. The gang is led by Kevin McNally and Michael Gambon.

It's much more convoluted and fun than I've just described. I only gave it a 7 because it actually could have been a TV movie. However, it's so darn funny, and everyone in it is great. I had never seen the prolific McCormack in comedy; she's excellent. Minnie Driver looks great and is hilarious -- the two make a wonderful team. I wish they had turned this into a series.

It's on Netflix - if you like the type of comedies that were done in the '80s before everything appealed to the lowest common denominator, this is for you.