Betty Lou (played by Penelope Ann Miller) is a meek and submissive librarian living in a small town in Georgia. Her husband Alex (played by Eric Thal) is a detective who doesn't appreciate her and takes her for granted. Betty Lou feels invisible and unimportant, always living in her husband's shadow.
One day, a gangster named Benny (played by William Forsythe) is murdered in town, and Betty Lou chances upon the murder weapon, a gun, while shelving books at the library. She tries to tell Alex and the other detectives about her discovery, but they don't take her seriously and ignore her completely.
Frustrated and desperate for attention, Betty Lou impulsively takes the gun and fires it in a public restroom, creating chaos and attracting a lot of attention. She then goes to the police station and confesses to the murder, hoping that finally, someone will listen to her and pay attention to her.
To her surprise, everyone starts taking her seriously, and she becomes a media sensation and a local hero. However, things take a turn for the worse when the real killer kidnaps her and threatens her life unless she confesses to the murder and clears his name.
Betty Lou finds herself caught in a dangerous and thrilling adventure, but with the help of the hookers in her jail cell and her newfound confidence and cunning, she manages to outsmart the killer, clear her name, and win the respect and admiration of her husband and the entire town.
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag is a comedy-mystery film directed by Allan Moyle and released in 1992. It features a talented cast of actors, including William Forsythe, Alfre Woodard, Julianne Moore, and Cathy Moriarty, and has become a cult classic known for its quirky humor, feminist themes, and empowering message about the importance of standing up for oneself and finding one's voice.