Nurse Betty is what Fargo might have been if it wasn't very good.
Nurse Betty (2000)
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Reviews Counted:118
Fresh:100
Rotten:18
Average Rating:7.2/10
Consensus: Nurse Betty's script is delightfully imaginative, while both the direction and ensemble performances are excellent.
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Television
US Box Office: $25,010,899
Synopsis: When small town waitress Betty Sizemore (Renée Zellweger) accidentally witnesses the grisly murder of her underhanded car-dealing husband (Aaron Eckhart), she copes with the trauma by retreating... When small town waitress Betty Sizemore (Renée Zellweger) accidentally witnesses the grisly murder of her underhanded car-dealing husband (Aaron Eckhart), she copes with the trauma by retreating into a dream-like state. Not only is Betty completely in denial about her husband's death, but she now believes she is the one-time love of her favorite soap opera character, Dr. David Ravell (Greg Kinnear). Leaving her Kansas home in one of her husband's used cars to "reunite" with the doctor, Betty unwittingly carries drugs that the killers (Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock) are after. As Betty arrives in Los Angeles to seek out the fictional Dr. Ravell, the hit men aren't far behind. Director Neil LaBute's third feature combines elements of thrillers, romance flicks, and road movies into a strangely unique film. Unlike the emotional brutality present in LaBute's previous films (IN THE COMPANY OF MEN and YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS), the violence in NURSE BETTY is physical and brief, quickly giving way to a more light-hearted comedic tone. The title character, Renée Zellweger, is sweet, determined, and utterly charming, while Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock are perfectly suited for their off-beat hit men roles. With its clever script and sure-handed direction, NURSE BETTY makes for a winning oddball comedy about the fine line between fantasy and reality. [More]
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock, Greg Kinnear
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock, Greg Kinnear, Aaron Eckhart, Crispin Glover, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Tia Texada
Director: Neil LaBute
Director: Neil LaBute
Screenwriter: John Richards, James Flamberg
Producer: Gail Mutrux, Steve Golin
Composer: Rolfe Kent
Studio: USA Films
Reviews for Nurse Betty
Here, [LaBute] shows he's an actual filmmaker, one capable of establishing pacing and constructing something that doesn't look like a filmed stage play.
Although everyone involved is likable, especially Zellweger, the elements don't mesh.
This oddly cheerful, decreasingly dark comedy actually works and can boast some of the most enjoyable performances of the year.
Nurse Betty has the best ensemble cast and the most clever script so far this year.
Very funny. Very unique. Much needed after the crap I've seen this summer.
[The actors'] nimble comic timing is hampered by truly ugly, amateurish production work.
The compassion and humor in the script makes it one of the year's best.
The movie would be difficult to imagine without Zellweger, who can show exultation and heartbreak without exaggerating either.
As with all good uses of enchantment, Nurse Betty deposits us, in the end, back where we started -- but different, changed, with new ways of looking.
You can keep your musically overwrought Mel Gibson bloodletting epics and your developmentally challenged Klumps' latex laughs. On the gore and fun front, we'll take the twisted edge of Nurse Betty. Every time.
The comedy and drama simply don't jive and the end result is sheer and utter idiocy.
Uncomfortable hodgepodge of poignant fantasy, showbiz satire and crime thriller.
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August 31, 2006:
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