Shubhabrata Dutta
‘Femme fatale’ is simply French for a fatal woman. However, this phrase has a lot of connotations that have been in effect for quite a long time now. The phrase mainly refers to a seductress, a woman so full of sex appeal that any man who comes under her influence is simply lost in her beauty and his desire to obtain her. Femme fatale is a stock character found in numerous works of literature, architecture, sculptures, and paintings throughout history. For the viewers in the mood for some movies that use this femme fatale character, we’ve got some recommendations of really good femme fatale movies on Netflix that are available to stream right now.
12. Lou (2022)
This crime thriller is directed by Anna Foerster and follows Allison Janney’s Lou Adell, an elderly loner woman who is a former CIA field agent with over 25 years of experience. After a mother, Hannah (Jurnee Smollett), reaches out to her for help when her daughter Vee (Ridley Asha Bateman) is kidnapped by a murderous hitchhiker (Logan Marshall-Green), Lou puts all her skills to use to find the guy. But is she mentally prepared for the truth that connects both Hannah and the hitchhiker to her? You can stream ‘Lou’ here to find out.
11. The Mother (2023)
Directed by Niki Caro, this action thriller follows Jennifer Lopez as the femme-fatale mother/former U.S. military operative codenamed “The Mother” as she tries to protect her estranged daughter from arms dealer Hector Álvarez and his men. However, her relationship with her daughter Zoe (Lucy Paez) is strained as she had to give Zoe away 12 years ago when she was just a baby to ensure her safety. For all these years, it was FBI Special Agent William Cruise (Omari Hardwick) who kept an eye on her. But now, with Hector looking for Zoe, ‘Mother’ must protect her at all costs while trying to make amends with her, of whom she knows nothing. Lopez does a good job playing the titular character, balancing motherhood and assassin vibes nicely. You can stream ‘The Mother’ here.
10. Focus (2015)
Starring Margot Robbie and Will Smith, ‘Focus’ is a con drama that centers on a complex romance between professional conman Nicky Spurgeon and his newly recruited gorgeous grifter, Jess Barrett. Jess is undoubtedly talented, but as feelings develop between her and Nicky, the latter breaks ties with her, perceiving his emotions as a threat to his “art of living.”
Years pass, and Jess becomes a femme fatale, mingling with motorsport team owner Rafael Garriga. When Rafael hires Nicky for a job, the latter bumps into Jess and the old feelings return. Jess, too, is willing to give herself another chance with Nicky, but the timing seems to be anything but right. What if Garriga finds out? Moreover, won’t their relationship affect Nicky’s assignment at hand? Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, ‘Focus’ is a glittering crime drama underscored by the charming performances of Robbie and Smith, who up the ante of the entire film. You can watch it here.
9. Night Teeth (2021)
A movie about femmes who are literally fatal, ‘Night Teeth’ is a horror comedy that is set in a reimagined Los Angeles where vampires and humans are living together in peace, thanks to a truce. In such a world, Benny (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), a substitute chauffeur, gets his first passengers in the form of friends Zoe (Lucy Fry) and Blaire (Debby Ryan). As the night darkens, the two girls reveal their true identity. Both are vampires sent by Victor (Alfie Allen), also a vampire, to kill all those who signed the peace treaty with humans. Will Benny be able to survive his bloodthirsty customers? To find out, you can watch the film here.
8. Lang Tong (2014)
Disturbing to its core, ‘Lang Tong’ is a Singaporean erotic thriller at the center of which are three characters, conman Zach (William Lawandi) and two sisters, Li Er (Angeline Yap) and Li Ling (Vivienne Tseng). Zach’s latest con-subject is Li Ling, but he is also having an affair with Li Er. As the plot proceeds, shocking twists are revealed, including a revenge plot, culminating in an unexpected death. Garnished with graphic sex scenes that were controversial upon release, ‘Lang Tong’ is a true-to-form femme fatale flick that is disturbingly humane. You can watch it here.
7. Gypsy (2017)
‘Gypsy’ deals with the story of a therapist, Jean (Naomi Watts), who gets way too much involved in her patients’ lives than what can be called healthy. One day, unable to restrain herself, Jean tracks down Sidney, the girlfriend of one of her patients. Sidney is an attractive woman, and slowly, the two of them begin to develop an intimacy. In this new relationship, Jean naturally harms her settled life as a respectable therapist, wife of a lawyer, and mother of a sweet young girl. Was the relationship worth the risk of ruining her perfect life? To find out, you can stream the show here.
6. Haseen Dillruba (2021)
A romantic thriller directed by Vinil Mathew, ‘Haseen Dillruba’ (Gorgeous Beloved) follows three people: Rishi, his wife Rani, and Rishi’s cousin Neel. When Rishi’s severed hand is found at Rishi and Rani’s house after an explosion, the police suspect Rani of the murder, having proof of her sexual relations with Neel. But the evidence isn’t enough to get her convicted. The film jumps between past and present, deception and seduction, to show what led to the explosion and how Rani, the femme fatale, is connected to it. ‘Haseen Dillruba’ stars Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, and Harshvardhan Rane. You can watch it here.
5. Wingwomen (2023)
‘Wingwomen’ is a French action comedy directed by Mélanie Laurent. It is based on the graphic novel “The Grand Odalisque” by Florent Ruppert, Jérôme Mulot, and Bastien Vivès. The movie tells the story of two femme fatales/professional thieves, Carole (Laurent) and Alex (Adèle Exarchopoulos), who hire the third member, Sam (Manon Bresch), a professional race-car driver. Sam will act as the getaway driver for their final heist that involves stealing a famous painting. After this, they plan to retire, something they know their boss, the Godmother, will not allow. What follows is how the three femme fatales stage their heist and escape plan while juggling jobs and feelings. You can watch the movie here.
4. Love to Hate You (2023)
‘Love to Hate You’ is a South Korean web series starring Kim Ok-Vin, Kim Ji-hoon, Teo Yoo, and Go Won-Hee. It is not strictly a femme fatale plot but one that does include a femme fatale in the true sense of the phrase. The series centers on two characters. Yeo Mi-Ran is a lawyer, and though she enjoys sex with men, she doesn’t like them and rather hates them. On the other hand, we have Nam Gang-Ho, a famous actor who looks down upon women and doesn’t trust them at all. But when circumstances bring the two opposing forces face to face, sparks are bound to fly. What will happen then? To find out, you can stream the show here.
3. Monica, O My Darling (2022)
Filled with twists and unpredictability from start to finish, ‘Monica, O My Darling’ is an Indian Hindi-language thriller starring Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte, and Sikandar Kher. It tells the story of Jayant, a robotics expert, whose life begins to unravel after he gets into a sexual affair with the company’s secretary, Monica Machado, despite being engaged to the daughter of his company’s CEO. But what Jayant doesn’t know is that Monica is also involved with two other men in the company, and she soon blackmails all three. Thus, the three men come together and kill her one night, only to see her walk into the office the very next day. This puts in motion a series of bizarre situations, including Monica’s real murder, with no one having any idea who killed her. ‘Monica, O My Darling’ is a must-watch, and you can stream it right here.
2. Bulbbul (2020)
From director Anvita Dutt Guptan comes this Indian Hindi-language horror story about a femme fatale who is a witch. Set in the Bengal presidency in the 1880s, it tells the story of Bulbbul (Tripti Dimri), a woman who was married off to a man named Thakur Indraneel (Rahul Bose), who is 20 years older and has since been living in his mansion. The film jumps between past and present and shows the atrocities Bulbbul was subjected to, including torture and rape, that has indeed given her supernatural abilities (symbolized by a blood red moon) with which she protects herself as well as the women in her village. We also get to see how the transformation has made her self-sufficient and independent, something that she never got before in the patriarchal environment. A true-to-form gothic film that brilliantly showcases sense and sensibility, ‘Bulbbul’ is a must-watch. You can stream it here.
1. 7 Khoon Maaf (2011)
Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘7 Khoon Maaf’ (‘Seven Sins Forgiven’) stars Priyanka Chopra, Irrfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah and Annu Kapoor. It is the story of Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, who, in her search for true love, marries six men and kills all of them due to their fatal flaws, each of which is portrayed as one of the seven deadly sins in Christianity. These flaws compel her to kill them in a way that, while showcasing her nonchalant nature, humanizes her and makes us sympathize with her. Whether Susanna is able to find her true love and, if yes, how is what the film entails? It is adapted from Ruskin Bond’s short story “Susanna’s Seven Husbands.” You can stream ‘7 Khoon Maaf’ here.
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