Citizen Ruth

Pros: Payne's Direction, Script, Score, Locations, & Cast led by Laura Dern.
Cons: Some Who are Serious about Abortion Won't Like This Film, & a Topless Burt Reynolds.

In this age of political turmoil, it is clear that whenever there's a political issue going around. It's always the person in the middle that becomes the real victim. Most recently, Americans were divided over the issue of euthanasia concerning Terri ...

Pros: Hilarious. Much needed.
Cons: Cons: none. Cautions: strong language and adult themes.

Everybody knows the main character has to be sympathetic, right? If you can’t sympathize with the m ...

Pros: interesting concept, great acting
Cons: didn't really catch my attention

The debate goes on…pro-life or pro-choice? Is there truly an answer to this nagging question that takes precedence in countless debates, political elections and church meetings? In this movie you will meet two groups of people, each absolutely certain ...

Pros: Fine performances by lead and supporting actors, interesting study in extremist behavior
Cons: The self-destructive behavior of the main character is difficult to watch

The opening scenes of Citizen Ruth reveal, in stark reality, the nightmarish life of people like Ruth Stoops. Ruth is a hapless addict who is caught in a cycle of self-destructive behaviors that have resulted in multiple arrests, illegitimate children,...

Pros: Laura Dern, direction, set design, script.
Cons: A few half-sentimental moments.

One of the greatest risks in making satire is the characters: Often, they must be devoid of any likable aspects. Works of satire often face criticisms for not telling the "happy side" of the story, but the happy side is not the focus. Satire is about ...

Pros: hilariously skewers both sides of the abortion debate
Cons: ending an anticlimax

In honor of the upcoming election, I will be (hopefully) viewing and reviewing one movie with a political theme each week until Election Day. This week I chose Citizen Ruth, a movie that satirizes everyone's favorite wedge issue, abortion.
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Pros: Funny, satiric to the bone, and intelligent.
Cons: Ungodly offensive.

Citizen Ruth

Directed by Alexander Payne

Written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor

Starring Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz, Mary Kay Place, Kurtwood Smith, Kelly Preston, M.C. Gainey, Alicia Witt, and Burt Reynolds

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Pros: Provocative topic, inspired performance by Laura Dern
Cons: May be offensive to those with firm beliefs about abortion

Laura Dern scorches the screen in "Citizen Ruth" as Ruth Stoops, a tough, glue-sniffing drug addict who has just discovered that she's pregnant for the fifth time. Facing jail, she's advised by an exasperated judge to have an...

Pros: Original writing, good acting, "off-beat"
Cons: very few

Ruth Stoops (Laura Dern) made me sick ... and illustrated a good point about society. We say we care, but it isn't really about others. Its about abstract concepts and far away ideas. In our attempt to win the big war we forget to see the soldiers and...

Pros: none
Cons: the movie was not funny enough to be a comedy and not serious enough to be a drama

I must have passed this movie by a hundred times in the local video store. I was compelled to rent it, but something told me I would be disappointed. I'm sorry to say that curiosity got the better of me... I broke down and rented the movie.

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Pros: funny, interesting, great cast
Cons: deals with a subject that is touchy with most

Citizen Ruth is the story of a woman, Ruth Stoops, who is a junkie and is constantly in trouble with the law. She has a problem with huffing spray paint and has two children who live with her brother. After being picked up for the umpteenth time and...