Nurse Betty

viewed September 30, 2000 at the Clearview Metro Twin  Full Details

Neil LaBute, who after only two features has established himself as an auteur of mysogynistic cruelty, lightens up considerably with this unresolved take on female empowerment through soap operas. This script has a full share of fine moments, most of which involve Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock as a pair of bickering hitmen pursuing smalltown waitress Renee Zellweger, who in turn is pursuing her dream lover, a soap opera doctor. The acting is great all over, though Zellweger is the charismatic standout, playing her role with unquestioning earnestness even though the path to Betty's self-fulfillment leaves many questions unanswered. It's obvious that if it weren't for Zellweger, the tenuous premise of this film would fall on its face. On the other hand, Rock's loose cannon character seems off most of the time; he is the primary agent for the violent scenes in the film, none of which work, whether it's scalping Betty's husband or causing the idiotic shootout at the end. He is only good when Freeman's presence lends some soft-spoken counterpoint.

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