Citizen Ruth (1996)
director: alexander payne
cast: laura dern, swoozie kurtz, kurtwood smith, mary kay place, kelly preston, m.c. gainey, kenneth mars, david graf, kathleen noone, tippi hedren, burt reynolds, lance rome, jim kalal, shea degan, vince morelli
A
prego glue-sniffer (Laura Dern), whose ass is hauled into court for the umpteenth
time, is given an ultimatum by a pragmatic judge with common sense. The absentee
mother of four is given an ironic choice: either get an abortion or be charged
with the reckless endangerment (her rampant drug use) to her fetus. This is
one of the most twisted comedies I have ever seen, right up there with "Swept
Away". How this movie ever got made might be more interesting than the
film itself. Dern is great as a woman consumed by her addiction. Pro-life and
pro-choice nuts each seize on her fetus as a symbol of their own narrow cause.
What they don't see, or even care about, is Dern. She is someone you would avoid
at all costs, a human car wreck who will blow you for five bucks or stick you
with a knife to secure her next fix. The resulting musical chairs of you-don't-use-me-I-use-you
makes this movie unpredictable, disconcerting fun. No one comes away looking
good. – Tom Graney
$9.50
© 1997 Hollywood Outsider™