Nurse Betty (2000) 4 stars out of 4. Starring Renee Zellweger, Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear and Chris Rock. Screenplay by John C. Richards & James Flamberg. Story by Richards. Directed by Neil LaBute. Rated R.
Sometimes a movie comes along that is so special, so out of the ordinary that you want to embrace it as tightly as a long-lost relative.
Such a film is "Nurse Betty," a whimsical fairy tale as fragile and spunky as its heroine. It is a movie with Oscar contender stamped all over it.
Betty Sizemore (Renee Zellweger) is a sweet, young woman, a waitress in the Tip Top, a small restaurant in Fair Oaks, Kan. She is married to Del, a used car dealer with all the stereotypical vices associated with those in that maligned profession.
Betty's one vice is her addiction to the soap opera "A Reason to Love," and her devotion to its hero, Dr. David Ravell.
One night, while in another part of the house watching a tape of her soap, Del is in the living room negotiating a shady business deal with two men, Charlie (Morgan Freeman) and Wesley (Chris Rock). The pair turn out to be hitmen who dispatch Del because he stole a package belonging to their employer.
The brutality of the situations sends Betty into a fantasy world in which she believes she is the long-lost fiancé of famous heart surgeon Dr. David Ravell, and she decides to drive to Los Angeles to find him and rekindle their relationship.
So, Betty packs her bags and hops into a Buick LeSabre taken from her late husband's car lot and drives off. Coincidentally, and unknown by Betty, the item Charlie and Wesley seek is secreted in the car.
Thus, while Betty begins her odyssey to L.A., Charlie and Wesley set forth on one of their own seeking clues to the whereabouts of the elusive woman.
Once in the land of dreams, Betty transforms herself into Nurse Betty, gets a job at a hospital, makes a friend and acquires a roommate at the same time, and begins her quest to find her Dr. David.
Fate is kind, and Betty comes face to face with her dream lover. In a scene reminiscent of Peter Sellers' "Being There," Betty begins quoting dialogue from old episodes of "A Reason to Love" to Dr. David, actually actor George McCord (Greg Kinnear), who believing she is a determined actress seeking a role on the soap, plays along as Dr. David.
That is about as much of the plot as I care to reveal without spoiling the rest of this Capraesque story. Let us just say that Betty fulfills her dreams.
One of the ironies of "Nurse Betty" is that it is directed by Neil LaBute, who helmed such cynical offerings as "In the Company of Men" and "Your Friends & Neighbors." "Nurse Betty" does not quite seem the material for a director who has such a bleak outlook on the human condition.
But LaBute pulls it off. He treats Betty with love and respect, neither mocking nor criticizing her mental state.
This is not to say the movie is light fare. It has an edge and LaBute stages some harrowing scenes of violence.
As Betty, Zellweger gives an outstanding performance. Within the parameters of her manufactured world she acts rationally, sanely and with utter conviction. She tightropes that thin line between sanity and psychosis with the aplomb of a veteran acrobat. I rooted for her, wanting to see her achieve happiness.
Zellweger's performance is charming. It is a turn that could - and should - bring her an Academy Award nomination if not the statue itself.
Freeman's performance is wonderfully smart and controlled. As a veteran hit man who takes pride in his work, he gradually falls in love with Betty as he tracks her across the country.
Freeman is one of those actors who elevates weak material merely by his presence. Presented with well-written material as in "Nurse Betty," his work is stellar, whether it be lecturing his partner, Wesley, about the lack of work ethic in the country, or musing about Betty and wondering what kind of woman she really is. This is another possible Oscar contender.
Kinnear also does sterling work as the soap opera star caught up in Betty's fantasy. Kinnear has the difficult task of playing an actor acting on a soap opera. And, when with Betty, he must, as George, act in character as David. He captures the self-centeredness of the actor perfectly.
Rock is all hair-trigger impatience and attitude as Wesley. He spews some funny, biting lines, yet despite his overall violent nature, he is a rather impulsive, but likable character.
"Nurse Betty's" script, with a screenplay by John C. Richards and James Flamberg, based on a story by Richards, is delicious with its double meanings and cultural insights.
"Nurse Betty" is like an oasis in a cinematic desert. Finally, finally, a movie that I can recommend without hesitation has reached the theaters. "Nurse Betty" is a must-see experience, a winning trifecta of acting, writing and directing.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at bobbloom@iquest.net Reviews by Bloom can be found posted on the Internet Movie Database at: http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
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