Zwellinger is cantaloupe sweet and as lovable as always, but it's Greg Kinear that snatches this wobbling film up by its bridges.
Nurse Betty (2000)
Tomatometer
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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
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
[LaBute] pulls the farce and the violence and the fantasies together with a deft touch and a sweetness rare in American films -- especially his.
A triumph for Mr. LaBute as it is for its cast, because its success is so dependent on its sustaining a precarious balance between humor and pathos, realism and fantasy.
Nurse Betty doesn’t have the narrative credibility of the average soap.
Despite some good acting, interesting illusion-vs.-reality plot scenarios and subtle humor. It just doesn't jell well.
As it overdoses on quirks and violence, Nurse Betty isn't always the right prescription. But observing Zellweger as she dispenses her brand of movie magic definitely is good for what ails you.
Everyone in the cast, from veteran Freeman to novice Rock, gives excellent performances.
Solid work behind the cameras, outstanding performances in front of them, and a daring and imaginative screenplay loaded with dark conceptual humor and pointed dialogue.
Nurse Betty has many very funny scenes -- all those with Freeman and Rock. They dominate the film.
While Nurse Betty can hardly be called a mainstream movie, it will undoubtedly be deemed more accessible than its predecessors, thanks in large part to the exceptional strength of the four leads.
If the notion that the rancorous writer and director Neil LaBute cares about you sounds like a hoax, it probably is. But for most of his third film -- the erratic, groovy Nurse Betty -- he's convinced himself, and you as well, that it's true.
Latest News for Nurse Betty
August 31, 2006:
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