Paul J. Nemecek Nurse Betty is a film about a meek waitress and wife who is thrown into bizarre circumstances and responds in an equally bizarre fashion. Rene Zelwegger plays the waitress who is married to a domineering, boorish used-car salesman. Her husband is also up to his ears in illegal wheeling and dealing unbeknownst to his wife. Betty deals with the dreariness of her day-to-day life by losing herself in a soap opera, and by fantasizing about one of the characters in the soap (a debonair doctor played by Greg Kinnear). When something happens to her husband, Betty snaps and projects herself into her soap opera fantasy world. She leaves town and drives to Los Angeles looking for the object of her affections. The two criminals who had dealings with her husband pursue her to LA so that they can tidy up loose ends.In one sense, this film is a standard crime/suspense film. A deeper look reveals a slightly more complex story line about the increasingly thin line between fantasy and fiction on the one hand and the "real world." In this sense, Nurse Betty is a postmodern film with much in common with films like Fargo and Pulp Fiction. The rapid movement between tender moments, funny scenes, and gruesome scenes is standard fare in films with postmodern sensibilities, so much so that the device is already a bit of a cliché.Nurse Betty also has much in common with films like EDTV, the Truman Show, and Pleasantville. All of these films deal with the postmodern obsession with virtual reality and simulated reality. There are some interesting issues raised in the film and there are clever turns in the story line. The real strength of the film is the superior performance by Rene Zellwegger and the great supporting performance by Morgan Freeman as the hitman with a heart of gold.The greatest weakness of the film is also in the acting. Chris Rock plays Morgan Freeman's partner and basically plays the same obnoxious character that he played in Lethal Weapon 4--a film that has earned a special place on the list of films I despise. This film has some merit, and could generate some interesting conversations about our media-obsessed society and how it connects with what Thoreau referred to as our "lives of quiet desperation." While I like the basic theme and was impressed by some of the performances, I did not find it as interesting as Pleasantville or as engaging as The Truman Show. When you add the gruesome violence and other gratuitous insertions in Nurse Betty, most viewers would probably have a better time with the video version of one of the films mentioned above.

Andy Steel Although I found it an interesting concept, I found it quite hard to engage with any of the characters. Having said that, I did find I had a bit of a soft spot for Betty. It's pretty well made, although I did feel I was watching a soap half the time. There were far too many coincidental events going on that allowed the plot to progress. The performances were all pretty good with Renée Zellweger easily standing out. Morgan Freeman was, well, Morgan Freeman; he just seems to play every part the same these days. Chris Rock was a bit of a surprise for me, playing the hot headed Wesley with great aplomb and a great degree of swearing. Over all though, I found it a little disappointing despite the decent performances, it never really got going.SteelMonster's verdict: RECOMMENDED (Just)My score: 5.9/10.You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.

Ana_Banana This excellent film is another reminder for us to look under the surface of things. Beyond even the most sordid or terrible details there is something extraordinary waiting for you if you had eyes for it. Betty's ingenuity, purity and capacity of transfiguration, symbolized and enhanced by her post-traumatic shock, leave a mark on everyone in the film and in the audience. It's like Charlie (Morgan Freeman) put it clearly, that the two of them are resembling one to each other more than you'd think, hence his fascination with her as a personification of that ideal of purity long lost by him. The film is powerful and diverse. Life is diverse, too. It has its horrid moments and its soulful moments. Why do we need to squeeze the film in a category (comedy, be it dark or not)? Even the scalping scene, apparently appalling for so many people, is not that graphic and is very short. Most of the performances are excellent, and first of all Ms. Zellweger of course, who is perfectly cast and entirely believable. Betty is a kind of 'Dona Quijote', looking for the extraordinary and the soul-fulfilling beauty in every thing. 'You don't need anyone, because you have yourself.' It's a soulful, even spiritual film, much more effective in its suggestiveness than a morose, didactic, preaching and pretentious one.

Amy Adler Betty Sizemore (Renee Zellweger) is a waitress in a small city in Kansas. Her ogre husband, Del (Aaron Eckhart), a car dealer, keeps her under his thumb at all times, to the point of relentless verbal abuse. Her only escape is the beloved soap opera, A Reason to Love, which features her idol, the saintly and handsome Dr. David (Greg Kinnear). Betty can even pour refills of coffee without taking her eyes from the television screen! Because of her admiration for the show, Betty secretly longs to become a nurse. On the day that her loathsome husband forgets her birthday and her close friend has to cancel plans to take Betty "out on the town" to celebrate, the young waitress returns home to cook dinner, as usual, and then watch her stash of videos from the daytime drama. But, two bad guys show up, Charlie (Morgan Freeman) and his son, Wesley (Chris Rock). It seems Del has dabbled in drugs and double-crossed his connections and now it is time to pay the piper. Unfortunately, Betty witnesses Del's horrific murder (and it is horrific, indeed) and, as a result, she loses her grip on reality. All of a sudden, Betty believes that she IS a nurse and she must travel to California to find Dr. David, so that she can rekindle a love relationship with him. She takes off. But, since she is a material witness in her husband's death and she may have a sack of drugs hidden in her car, too, Charlie and Wesley begin a hot pursuit of our dear Betty. Will they succeed in bumping her off, also? This is a clever film with great performances but it is very violent from time to time. Yes, it was necessary to provide a reason for Betty's dive off the deep end, but for those viewers who detest violence, keep your finger on the fast-forward button of your remote. Zellweger gives a wonderful performance as the kind-hearted Betty while Eckhart loses himself in a smaller role that spells repugnance in capital letters. Freeman, who has played both God and the president, surprises the audience with his role as an aging killer. As for Rock, his turn as an evil, foul-mouthed assassin is revolting, as it should be, I suppose. The scenery is quite nice, as Betty goes through every state from Kansas to California. Costumes, also, are fine and the production looks great. Writer-director Neil LaBute displays a remarkable creativity and pacing as he tells his twisted tale, with the story going out on a high note. In short, if you are a fan of the stars, clever film-making, or offbeat movies, you will admire Nurse Betty. Just be certain you can handle the rough scenes, as they are powerfully stomach-turning.