Overview
A holiday gathering turns deadly as secrets unravel in a snowbound mansion.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- campy
- theatrical
- movie night
- christmas viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as frothy, delirious, visually vibrant entertainment powered by a remarkable ensemble of French actresses, while acknowledging its deliberately disjointed theatricality.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Eight women remain isolated in a mansion while investigating the patriarch's murder and concealing their own motives.
The musical interludes, heightened performances, and luxurious 1950s palette make the mystery deliberately stage-like and camp.
The wife, daughters, in-laws, maid, housekeeper, and visiting sister expose dark secrets as rivalries intensify.
Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Fanny Ardant, Emmanuelle Béart, and the other principal actresses are central to the film's appeal.
Films like 8 Women, and why
Clue
campy ensemble whodunit, heightened theatricality, and darkly comic family secrets
Gosford Park
stylized murder mystery driven by rivalries, deception, and an enclosed ensemble
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
glamorous musical melodrama combining family conflict, theatrical performance, and female-centered intrigue
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
playful french mystery with sensuality, comic tension, and elaborate visual design
Movie Details
- Director
- François Ozon
- Release Date
- 2002-02-06
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (1096)
Cast
- Catherine Deneuve
- Isabelle Huppert
- Fanny Ardant
- Firmine Richard
- Emmanuelle Béart
- Virginie Ledoyen
- Ludivine Sagnier
- Danielle Darrieux
- Dominique Lamure
Common questions
- What is 8 Women about?
- Eight suspicious women turn a snowy Christmas gathering into a glittering, musical battle of secrets after the household patriarch is murdered.
- What is 8 Women like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of 8 Women as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is 8 Women violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in 8 Women as mild.
- What did critics think of 8 Women?
- Critics broadly praised the film as frothy, delirious, visually vibrant entertainment powered by a remarkable ensemble of French actresses, while acknowledging its deliberately disjointed theatricality.
- Which films are like 8 Women?
- Films with a similar feel include Clue, Gosford Park, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.
- How long is 8 Women?
- 8 Women runs 111 minutes.
