CITIZEN RUTH
A film review by Laura & Robin Clifford
Copyright 1997 Laura & Robin Clifford
(This review is an excerpt from Reeling, a movie review show hosted by Laura and Robin Clifford, running on Boston Cable TV. Note that the film descriptions vary in completeness due to the fact that they're actually intros for running film clips.)
CITIZEN RUTH ------------
In a surprising first feature, director and co-writer Alexander Payne, stabs straight into the heartland of America with "Citizen Ruth", a satire using the abortion issue as its focus, but really striking at fanaticism in all forms as its target.
Laura Dern plays Ruth Stoops, a hopeless drifter who has a penchant for "huffing", inhaling the aerosol propellants in things like spray paint and driveway sealer. When she is arrested for this abuse for the 16th time, AND she's found to be pregnant, she is charged with endangering a fetus and is to serve a hefty sentence - that is, until the judge offers clemency if she gets rid of her "problem".
Here begins the satire as the fanatical fringe elements on both sides of the abortion issue do battle, with the brain damaged, but not stupid, Ruth at its center.
ROBIN:
This is a very impressive feature debut for Alexander Payne that benefits from a tremendously talented cast, with an Oscar caliber performance from Laura Dern.
Dern, who looks a wreck through most of the film, puts it on the line as the totally self absorbed, selfish, and really screwed up substance abuser, Ruth. Like Harrelson does in "Larry Flynt", Dern gives a performance that has you believing that a Ruth Stoops can exist in our world. She is funny, conniving, pathetic, smart and stupid at varying times and degrees. Her dives into substance abuse are strikingly handled both through Dern's acting and the notable camera work.
Supporting cast, headed by Swoosie Kurtz, Kutwood Smith, Mary Kay Place, Kelly Preston, Tippi Hedrin and Burt Reynolds all lend good comic turns as the fanatics vying for Ruths fetus, if not her soul.
The script, written by director Payne and Jim Taylor, takes its satirical shots at a whole spectrum of politics, from the homophobic, right wing reactionary pro-lifers to the ultra left femi-Nazis pro-choice faction. It puts the fanatical fringes in their deserved light, showing just how absurd mindless causes can be.
Placing Ruth at the center of this maelstrom helps take the edge of the extremists, showing how meaningless their causes really are. If Ruth, the focus of their beliefs, doesn't care, how can they, possibly, justify their cause? Ruth walks out of the picture while both sides do battle, and it doesn't matter - its not he object of the cause thats important, just the cause.
"Citizen Ruth" is an amusing, thoughtful satire and a very good effort for a feature debut. Laura Dern shines out in a solid film. She's one of my favored contenders for a best actress nomination. Its her best, hardest hitting work to date.
I give "Citizen Ruth" a B
LAURA:
We get another standout female performance from Laura Dern as Ruth Stoops in "Citizen Ruth." What a crowded field for Best Actress consideration this year - I could nominate 10 worthy performances! Dern gives one of the best even of those, though, as the painfully clueless, totally irresponsible and selfish Stoops. The most amazing thing about her work is that you'll be routing for her by the end of the film, as she rejects both the pro-lifers' and pro-choicers' attempts to use her to 'send their messages.'
The directorial and screenwriting debut of Alexander Payne is a witty look at how fanaticism turns well intentioned people into raving lunatics who eventually lose sight of their cause in their campaign to 'win.'
Mary Kay Place and Kurtwood Smith are the falsely sunner pro-lifers (baby savers in this film's lingo). Their faction is led by Burt Reynolds as Blaine Gibbons in an oily performance that recalls his work in "Striptease." In an uproariously jaw-dropping display of ego and bad taste, Gibbons keeps as his flunky a suspicously effeminate adolescent, Eric, who Gibbons saved from an abortion. Eric tests the temperature of Gibbons' massage oil by shaking a few drops from a baby's bottle onto his wrist before applying it to the back of Blaine's neck!
Swoozie Kurtz and Kelly Preston are the liberal, moon goddess worshipping lesbian pro-choicers. Their leader is Tippi Hedren as Jessica Weiss, a woman so shallow, she describes Ruth as heroic upon meeting her.
Dianne Ladd makes a surprise and uncreditted appearance as Ruth's Mom (Ladd is Dern's mother).
"Citizen Ruth" is a very original comedy highlighted by beautifully odd comic accents. When Ruth is first brought into the home of the baby savers, she relaxes in a bath and entertains herself by enjoying alternating eye views of her toe in the bathtub faucet, a scene that's not only funny, but defines just how much of Ruth's brain has been destroyed by her chemical inhalations.
Unfortunately, the very well-realized satire comes to its end a bit weakly. You know where Payne's headed and it's the right way to go, but it could have used a sharp punchline to wrap.
B+
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