The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag

Play trailer

The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag

PG-13

1992

1h 29m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

14%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

25%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

A Southern librarian (Penelope Ann Miller) puts excitement in her life with a found murder weapon and a false confession.

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Whether in Betty Lou's original demure guise or her subsequent glamorous transformation, Miller is convincing even when the movie isn't.

Jul 11, 2014

Full Review

Jeff Shannon

Seattle Times

There's nothing wrong with The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag that isn't wrong with about a thousand other commercially homogenized comedies of its kind.

Rated: 2/4

Jul 11, 2014

Full Review

Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

It just sort of limps along under the late-summer sun until, at last, its forced whimsy expires.

Jul 11, 2014

Full Review

Gary Thompson

Philadelphia Daily News

The movie resorts to a mundane shoot-'em-up finale that leaves the viewer feeling cheated and betrays the movie's PG-13 rating.

Rated: 2/4

Jul 11, 2014

Full Review

TV Guide

Penelope Ann Miller transcends her material in The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag, a half-baked Disney comedy that also half-benefits (the first half, to be exact) from the sly, subversive direction of Allen Moyle.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 11, 2014

Full Review

Stephen Hunter

Baltimore Sun

There is definitely a gun in Betty Lou's handbag, but is there a brain in Betty Lou's head?

Rated: 2/4

Jul 11, 2014

Full Review

Read all reviews

Steve D

Amusing on paper but not in execution.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Waste of great actors with a flimsy script that holds one hit jokes

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is one of those movies you would never watch on purpose, but would be pleasantly surprised to find on TV in the middle of the night. It's not great, but just funny enough to keep you from going back to bed.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Spoiler alert: **I hated the scene where the Boston terrier gets eaten. :(

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A great cast in the service of a silly script.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A cute little classic movie that anyone can get at the $6.88 bin at Walmart. Penelope Ann Miller is sweet in this role, but the whole time you just keep wondering why this was made and who thought it was a good idea. Still, an easy way to kill an afternoon and holds up quite well after all the years.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Allan Moyle

Director

Penelope Ann Miller

Mrs. Elizabeth Louise "Betty Lou" Perkins

Eric Thal

Detective Alex Perkins

Alfre Woodard

Attorney Ann Orkin

Julianne Moore

Elinor

Andy Romano

Herrick

New Port South

0%

51%

New Port South

Watchlist

Annapolis

10%

60%

Annapolis

Watchlist

A Simple Twist of Fate

43%

56%

A Simple Twist of Fate

Watchlist

Stella

29%

76%

Stella

Watchlist

The Horse Whisperer

73%

72%

The Horse Whisperer

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

A Southern librarian (Penelope Ann Miller) puts excitement in her life with a found murder weapon and a false confession.

Director: Allan Moyle
Producer: Scott Kroopf
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Sep 2, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.6M
Runtime: 1h 29m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround