Customer Reviews

Nurse Betty [VHS]

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(47)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

A young waitress in a small town in Kansas witnesses an act of violence so unspeakable that her mind refuses to accept it; instead, like a ray of light reflected through a prism, she takes a detour within herself and enters a reality in which things are just a little bit better and nicer, one that fuses with the world of her favorite soap opera wherein resides the "doctor" of her dreams. Renee Zellweger stars in "Nurse Betty," a satirical comedy/drama with some serious psychological overtones from director Neil LaBute. It's an objective look at, among other things, small town life, the aesthetics of professional hit men, an unhealthy (?) obsession with soap operas, and the ethics of car salesmen. One thing is certain: After the aforementioned incident, Dorothy isn't in Kansas anymore. And her story becomes an odyssey of sorts, one that is both exhilarating and hilarious, and by turn somber and disturbing. Since those with whom Betty comes into contact do not realize that she is dwelling within a reality of her own design, it creates moments of absolute side-splitting hilarity as they try to figure out what is going on with her; is she putting them on, or is she in fact, deranged? But at the same time, even as you're laughing, there is an element of discomfort about it, because you know the truth of it all, and what a sad and serious situation it really is. You feel, not only for Betty, but for all of those involved with her as well, and it's like manic depression; you ride the wild highs, but come down just as hard. As Betty, Renee Zellweger gives what just may be the best performance of her career; there is such a gentleness of nature about her, a winsomeness and pacificism that makes her such a wonderfully sympathetic character. Early in the film LaBute establishes what kind of a person Betty is; she's easy to like and someone you care about instantly, someone you want to see good things happen to. And it makes the impact of the violence with which she is visited all the more profound (and be advised, the scene is shockingly reminiscent of the torture scene in "Reservoir Dogs;" somewhat graphic, but because of excellent directing and editing, you get the illusion of seeing more than you actually are. It is definitely one that you will not soon forget). These are things that should not happen to someone like Betty; it just doesn't seem fair somehow, and the connection that she makes with the audience underscores what a brilliant job Zellweger has done. Equal credit, of course, has to go to Neil LaBute, for creating the perfect atmosphere through which the desired results are so impeccably delivered. The serene, almost lilting essence of Betty's reality, this kind of "Pleasantville" into which she has entered, contrasts so vividly with the thread of violence and menace laced throughout that it heightens the emotional response to it all. He has successfully managed the perfect balancing of the pure with the despicable and enhanced it all with pace, timing and some memorable performances. Besides Zellweger, Morgan Freeman is outstanding as Charlie, the aging hit-man out to finish one last job before retiring. He brings a commanding demeanor to the role, coupled with a maturity and intelligence that adds so much to the depth of the character. And Greg Kinnear, as Dr. David Ravell/George McCord, gives a definitive performance as the soap opera star of Betty's dreams. It is a character Kinnear was born to play and he covers all the bases, leaving no doubt as to just exactly who and what this guy is all about. Notable performances also are turned in by Chris Rock, as Wesley, Charlie's protege; and by Aaron Eckhart, as Del, Betty's sleazy, neglectful car salesman husband. Rounding out the supporting cast are Tia Texada (Rosa), Crispin Glover (Roy), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Ballard), Allison Janney (Lyla) and Kathleen Wilhoite (Sue Ann). Rarely are there so many truly memorable performances in a single movie, and again, LaBute must be given credit for bringing out the best in his actors; it adds a polish to the finished product that is inestimable. Another reason for the success of this film is that the humor is natural and true; rather than being forced or contrived it issues from real situations and the characters reactions to them, and LaBute plays everything straight, which makes it all real. The laughs (and there are many) are born of their own merit; each one is honest and earned. And again, because of that purity of delivery, it makes the drama all the more effective. Well made and delivered, "Nurse Betty" is highly entertaining and certainly memorable; a funny, emotional movie that will have you alternately gasping and cheering. Check this one out; it's a motion picture experience you do not want to miss.

This movie is a wonderful low-key comedy starring Renee Zellwegger in her brilliant performance as Betty, who believes she's a nurse on a popular soap opera after going in shock from witnessing her husband's horrific murder. The two hitmen who killed her husband are the suprizingly hilarious duo, Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman. The plot twists and turns as we follow Betty from her rural mid-west hometown to Hollywood because she believes that she is a nurse who is in love with an arrogant doctor, played fittingly by Greg Kinnear. Morgan Freeman steals the laughs from Chris Rock as they follow Betty, who's the only witness to the murder, across the country and always one step behind her. Everyone will enjoy this movie for it's talented actors, it's comedy and it's "warm and fuzzy" ending.

A complete departure for director Neil LaBute, his third film and first "major" vehicle, it is an amazing piece which actually turns in the total opposite direction of his first films which were not hopeful or friendly to the more human and sympathetic aspects of people. Don't get me wrong... there are still ugly, criminal, and cruel people populating this film, but this time there is a balance... and the balance is struck beautifully. Renée Zellweger is her charming self, playing the plucky soap opera addicted Kansas waitress, Betty, who is married to a corrupt car salesman played brilliantly by Aaron Eckhart. Eckhart has shady business deals going (as well as adulterous affairs). Two hit men (Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock, who are both excellent) come to town to kill him and do so most gruesomely. However, they do not realise that Betty is home and witnesses the murder. (They have previously met Betty, though, because she was their waitress at the diner). Betty is watching a videotape of her favourite soap and its heartthrob doctor (played well by Greg Kinnear) when the murder takes place. As some sort of psychological defence mechanism Betty assumes a new personality and believes that she is a nurse and the fiancée of Kinnear's character. She assumes a false life as her own, gets in the car and drives to California to reclaim that life. Things go along swimmingly at first, and the people who meet her do not realise how seriously she takes this assumed life. Most think she is joking, others think she is an overly ambitious actress trying to work her way into the soap opera. She meets the writers and stars of the soap opera, and it is only when she is told that she is going to have a walk on bit part on the soap that she "snaps out" of this psychological trauma. The pivotal and almost frightening part of this film is when she is on the set of the show and suddenly comes to the realisation that she does not know where she is or how she got there. Meanwhile Freeman and Rock have been chasing Betty across the country because they have to kill her since she was a witness to the murder of her husband. As they travel Freeman falls in love with this image he has of Betty, and Rock has to convince him to get a hold of himself. The film does not end completely happily, but Betty does come out happily in the end. Zellweger shines in this film, and it is well worth seeing.

I was expecting a dark comedy (my favorite kind), but this movie didn't really fit the bill. In fact, the core story of Renee Zellweger's character going a little nuts after seeing her husband brutally killed and trying to join the world of her favorite soap opera which she suddenly thinks is real is actually pretty sweet. That's because of Renee's excellent performance. She brings such genuine empathy to the character that it's hard to find her character's predicament funny. Yes, it's amusing how she manages to blithely insinuate herself into the make-believe soap world without anyone figuring out how truly nuts she is, but thanks to Renee's performance, I was also rooting for her to be successful in her bizarre endeavor.

As for the parallel storyline involving Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock, it had it's funny moments, but it was nowhere close to fully utlizing Rock's darkly comic talent. I felt like any number of actors could have played this role; I would have much preferred to see Rock make it his own. Freeman was wonderful, of course. Unfortunately, these two were involved in some incredibly violent scenes - much more gruesome than you would expect to see in a movie that bills itself as a comedy.

All in all, I enjoyed the movie, but I can see why it wasn't more of a success despite some great performances. It was too schizophrenic to be either a successful comedy or a succesful action/adventure movie. Do check out the cast and director's discussion of the movie on the DVD . It was interesting to hear what they considered the movie to be about and the choices they made.

The best thing about "Nurse Betty" is that you never quite know where it's going. Its loose and freeform structure allows the writers, John C. Richards and James Flamberg, to fashion their work from a wide range of disparate moods and styles - and the strain rarely shows. One can question the appropriateness of a particularly gruesome scene early on in the film, but, for the most part, "Nurse Betty" wins us over with its originality, sweetness and charm. The first element is provided by the screenwriters, but the second two come principally from the film's star, Renee Zellweger, who, as always, radiates the kind of beauty and vulnerability of spirit that have made her a major star for our time.

Zellweger plays Betty Sizemore, a waitress working in a café in Kansas, who escapes the grim reality of her marriage to a callous philanderer by blanking herself into her favorite soap opera and fantasizing about her favorite soap opera character, the handsome Dr. David Ravell, played by Greg Kinnear. When Betty witnesses the brutal murder of her husband, she lapses into a state of psychosomatic denial, becoming convinced not only that the world of her TV program is real but that she must travel to Los Angeles to reunite with her former fiancé, Dr. Ravell himself. Thus begins Betty's bizarre cross-country odyssey, followed closely on her heels by Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock, the men responsible for her husband's death.

But the odyssey Betty undergoes is not merely a geographical one - for she also takes a journey deep into the recesses of comic madness. As a result, while there is humor in much of what she goes through, there is also pain - and the writers and the actress hit on both notes perfectly. Thus, while Betty's confusion about what is real and what is fantasy often leads to comic misunderstandings, it also leads to the kind of fear, misapprehension and insecurity that can accompany irrationality.

In a similar way, the writers knock us off balance with their conception of the Freeman and Rock characters. Here are men - one a hotheaded, cold-blooded, calculated killer, the other a professional criminal who admits to knocking off those people who "deserve it" - who come across at times as quietly convincing humorous charmers. "Nurse Betty" is not always a "comfortable" comedy.

With its multitude of characters, settings and tones, "Nurse Betty" sometimes seems as if it will rip apart at the seams. Yet, thanks to the skilled hand of director Neil LaBute, this never happens. In fact, the film has an expansive, almost epic quality rarely found in a comedy. Not every element in "Nurse Betty" works equally well, but for its ambition, scope and originality, it is a film well worth checking out.

that is very different from the cynical first two efforts of Director Neil LaBute. LaBute is working with someone else's script this time, and that may be the reason this film was more successful than his first two efforts. A dark comedy with some surprisingly graphic violence, this is definitely a departure from his character driven ensembles that have you liking absolutely no one.

It's hard not to like Betty -- she's a down on her luck waitress that has an absolutely golden presence. Who couldn't like her? It's difficult to know whether Zellweger's more likeable here, as Bridget, or in her "Chicago" role. In a very short time, she has established herself as leading lady material, and the camera loves her. As Betty, her crush on a soap opera star (Greg Kinnear as Actor George McCord) who is a doctor in his role, becomes more serious when her low-life husband is killed by two mobsters. Betty witnesses the murder, and unknowingly takes the car that has the merchandise the mobsters are searching for. When Betty leaves her small-town life for LA, she's disassociated from reality and is going to find "Dr. Ravell" her real love.

Kinnear is charming and alternately confused and attracted to Betty (who acts as a nurse in the soap opera). Morgan Freeman is terrific as Charlie, from the mob, who can't help his attraction to Betty, despite his mission. Only Chris Rock, who plays Charlie's son, seems to be miscast, in a whiny and bitter role. Chris -- you CAN play comedy! The screen shines when Zellweger is on it, and you are ultimately drawn into her world and are there when it comes crashing down around her.

LaBute did a marvelous job with the film, but the DVD extras are sparse and some of the deleted scenes are truly distasteful. Alison Janney is wasted in a throw away role, but LaBute does manage to find a small role for his favorite actor, Aaron Eckhart (he's been in all LaBute's films) as the smarmy husband. John C. Richards and James Flamberg won at Cannes for the screenplay, and it does surprise in the way it tells an unusual story.

Not for everyone, especially for those looking for light comedy. Those viewers will find the violence distasteful.

Things are looking up. After a summer of mostly dismal, prefabricated movies, the approach of fall heralds more ambitious fare, such as Nurse Betty. This idiosyncratic dark comedy about a likable young woman (Zellweger) who becomes convinced that she is a character on a soap opera is full of surprises, impeccable acting and smart writing.

In an extraordinary, multilayered performance that suggests Doris Day at her most resilient, Zellweger plays Betty Sizemore, a sweet-natured waitress in a poky Kansas diner who spends her days pouring coffee and her nights watching taped episodes of her favorite soap, A Reason to Live. When she inadvertently witnesses a grisly murder by two hit men, she develops temporary amnesia. Believing she's Nurse Betty from the soap, she heads to L.A. for a rendezvous with her true love, Reason's widowed hero, Dr. David Ravell (Kinnear). The killers take off after her.

The ensuing journey turns into one of self-discovery for both Betty and Charlie (Freeman), the older, more reflective of the hit men. In her fictional guise, Betty gains a strength she never had before while Charlie, the hard-nosed realist, finds himself questioning everything of which he was once sure. Director Neil LaBute (Your Friends & Neighbors) skillfully steers the film between gentle humor, outright farce, disturbing violence and moments of real pain, leaving the viewer in a delightful and rarely experienced predicament: not knowing what will happen next.

The casting of Freeman and Rock adds immeasurably to the film, with Freeman giving it tragic grandeur and Rock contributing comic zing. Also noteworthy is Kinnear, whose preening turn as a soap star deftly skewers the pretensions and vanity of a minor TV personality.

This is a brilliant satire on the blurring of the line between TV and reality.

When life has become so dull and tame that millions fixate on TV as an alternate, this is precisely the kind of medicine we need.

Betty is a downtrodden but ever-optimistic waitress whose life shuttles between the humdrum (her job) and the abusive (her husband).

Her only refuge is a medical soap, which seems not only better but more real than her own.

When her husband the abuser himself is abused--right out of the picture--she cracks, and pursues her dream: the soap opera, which she now thinks is real.

Miraculously, she gets her foot in both the real medical world and the soap opera world (she can't tell the two apart).

Eventually, reality catches up, destroying her delusions, but (in the way of all good romance and comedy) allowing her to make her illusions real.

Interestingly, the most hard-bitten and seemingly realistic characters, the hit men, turn out to be the most deluded and fantasy-obsessed.

First-rate satire throughout.

If you like dark, twisted comedy, you'll love this movie.
Renee Zellweger is the nurse. She loves one soap and Greg Kinnear's character on the soap to the point that she thinks he is real. Her loser husband is involved in some shady dealings, which earns him a visit from some hitmen. (Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman). (Reports of the graphic violence have been overblown. It is nothing big).

Betty goes to LA to meet Kinnear's character. The fun ensues then.

The comedy is not for everyone, but it is similar to "In the Company of Men," probably because Neil LaBute directed them both. Rock's character is annoying, but Zellweger is perfect. Who knew Dorothy Boyd could be so funny? She had me at hello.

If you liked Fargo, Magnolia, and perhaps Jackie Brown, you're going to also enjoy "Nurse Betty" as a film continuing the present trend in creative storylines. Neil LaBute can join the Coen brothers as a director who mastered the combination of humor noir, infatuation, pain and a bit of gore with a satirical look at soap operas and all of us that find escape through them. You could say this is a Fargo-styled "date flick"... almost.

Renee Zellweger's basically plays the same really sweet-girl-looks-for-Price-Charming role you'll remember from "Jerry McGuire". In this film she attempts to deal with a bizarre and tragic series of events spawned initially from her marriage to a loser car salesman (Aaron Eckhart). Betty's favorite hospital soap opera offers the singular daily escape from her own marriage and dead-end life. All that hyper-jumps to the surreal when she witnesses a gruesome murder. The result is a wild ride as Betty departs town... and reality, as her sole means to cope through living out the soap.

Greg Kinnear plays the target of Betty's obsession as a seemingly sensitive but actually self-absorbed love interest, much as he did in "Sabrina". Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock are an unlikely father-and-son hit team after Betty. Freeman does a great job mirroring Betty's fantasy with his own obsession of her, making for an interesting twist and ending to Betty's experience.

The result is an entertaining ensemble film touching home with our own occasional forays into fantasy.

I would have given this film four stars except for writer's and director's inability (or Chris Rock's unwillingness) to develop humor apart from voluminous profanities. The only redeeming factor in it was the contrast it built between "class" and "crass" when Freeman and Rock stood side by side. Nurse Betty stands on it's own without it.