Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her is a 2000 American romantic drama film written and directed by Rodrigo García and starring an ensemble cast.

The film consists of five stories, or vignettes, all centering on women and loosely tied together to examine themes of loneliness, dissatisfaction, longing, and/or desire.

Kathy is attracted to the medical examiner in the suicide case, and her story ends with him taking her out on a date.

Carol's imaginative story towards the end of the film helps explain the instances throughout the movie where she appears.

Rodrigo García first wrote script for the film in 1997 and then workshopped it at the 1999 Sundance Institute's Writers and Filmmakers Lab.

[5] A theatrical release was said to be planned by MGM Distribution Co., but the company concluded that Sundance and Cannes acclaim did not justify a theater run and the film would fare better on Showtime.

[8] Todd McCarthy of Variety said the film marks a promising debut for García and called it an "observant, emotionally acute drama...distinguished by a pronounced poetic sensibility in its writing and visual style.

"[3] The film drew comparisons to similar movies like Magnolia and Short Cuts, with its exclusive focus on female characters noted.

[9] Writing for Salon, Stephanie Zacharek said "the beautifully conceived script gives [the actors] plenty to work with.

"[6] Adding "every actress here glows", she described Close as "heartbreaking", Diaz as bringing "wisecracking aplomb" to her role, and Flockhart "suggesting a wealth of iron reserve beneath [her] frailty".

"[6] Zacharek concluded that though the film has been described by industry figures as too "small" of a picture for theaters, it is "still as big as life.