" Watching the Detectives " was the first hit single for , released in 1977.

The phrase most commonly refers to a classic new wave song by Elvis Costello and a 2007 romantic comedy film starring Cillian Murphy and Lucy Liu . The Film (2007)

Neil lives vicariously through his favorite movies until he meets Violet (Lucy Liu), a real-life femme fatale who turns his mundane life into a series of wild adventures and elaborate pranks.

Directed by Paul Soter, this independent romantic comedy follows Neil (Cillian Murphy), a film noir-obsessed owner of a vintage video store called "Gumshoe Video".

The movie plays heavily with film noir tropes and the " Manic Pixie Dream Girl " archetype. Trivia: