COOKIE'S FORTUNE A film review by David N. Butterworth Copyright 1999 David N. Butterworth
**1/2 (out of ****)
Like so many of the great Robert Altman films--"Nashville," "The Player," "Short Cuts"--and even some of his not-so-memorable ones ("Prêt-à-Porter"), "Cookie's Fortune" is a character-driven drama that engages the viewer through the slowly unfolding interactions of its multiple leading players.
Altman's latest round robin relies a little too heavily on plot, plus some of the characterizations are too eccentric for their own good. But even a minor Altman movie challenges an audience in a way few Hollywood products can.
The setting of Cookie's Fortune is the sleepy Southern hamlet of Holly Springs. Here, the local police force spend more time fishing--or talking about fishing--than they do citing parking violations, the most serious crime in town. But that's about to change.
The Grande Dame of Holly Springs is an aging matriarch called Jewell Mae Orcutt, known to everyone as Cookie. Recently widowed, Cookie is so starved of her husband's company and affection that she decides to join him in the afterlife via a pistol shot to the head. Upon discovering the body, Cookie's nieces Camille and Cora decide to disguise the suicide as a murder, not simply to eliminate any chance of a scandal blackening the family name, but to make a bid for the sizable ancestral estate.
As Cookie, veteran actress Patricia Neal ("Hud") heads Altman's cast of keen ensemble players. Whereas Neal is convincing in the role, her character outplays her welcome early on. Cookie moves slower than molasses, all the time ruminating over her recent loss. When the gunshot comes, it's a relief to all.
Charles Dutton, as Cookie's hired hand and confidante, fairs much better. As Willis, Dutton evokes a sympathetic character of immensely human proportions. He's the kind of person who "borrows" a half pint of bourbon from the local bar only to return a fresh bottle, surreptitiously, the next day. When he's accused of the murder (because his are the only fingerprints besides Cookie's found in the house), even the cops don't believe it. Fortunately for them, Willis proves a game Scrabble opponent.
Glenn Close (in the role of Camille) continues her recent trend of wide-eyed, melodramatic characters. When Camille is not crossing police lines with gay abandon, she's directing the local congregation in an adaptation of Salomé. Julianne Moore, wearing little if any makeup, is oddly effective as the impotent Cora. Rounding out the cast is Altman favorite (although I still haven't figured out why) Lyle Lovett, who plays the same creepy oddball he played in "Prêt-à-Porter" and "Short Cuts." Liv Tyler is the tomboyish Emma, and Chris O'Donnell plays the young cop who has the hots for her.
Altman doesn't quite know when to call it quits, and that twanging guitar constantly reminding us of where we are soon grows tiresome. But along the way we're treated to some assured performances, stunning cinematography, and exchanges of wonderfully wistful dialogue courtesy former script supervisor Anne Rapp.
"Cookie's Fortune" might not be among Altman's best works, but it's another rich and intriguing film from this most creative of filmmakers.
-- David N. Butterworth dnb@dca.net
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