molly.com
Thursday 11 August 2005
Found Classic: Nurse Betty
YOU HEAR ABOUT A MOVIE when it comes out. It clocks on your radar because someone gives it a thumbs up, but years pass before you actually see it. Occasionally, this ends up in you watching the film thinking how on earth did I miss this?
Nurse Betty is one of those gems that I somehow missed. I remember my youngest brother telling me it was excellent - he’d seen it on screen back in 2000 when it was first released. Usually, if Linus tells me a movie is good, I find it good as well - we share a taste for very dark humor.
The film is in fact excellent, due in no small part to the script. A script can be brilliant and fall flat without the talent to carry it out, but in this case, the acting does not disappoint. With memorable performances from the likes of Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock, Renée Zellweger, Greg Kinnear, Tia Texada and Crispin Glover, the film is both funny and very, very disturbing.
The plot involves Zellweger’s character, fresh-faced Betty Sizemore, finding herself through a series of bizarre incidents. A small-town waitress married to a sleazy car-slash-drug dealer, Betty dreams of becoming a nurse and lives out her fantasy daily through her favorite soap opera, “A Reason to Love.”
When her husband is brutally murdered by Freeman and Rock, who are looking for drugs that Betty’s husband has hidden in one of his autos, Betty witnesses the killing from another room. In her shock, she sublimates her husband’s gruesome death and goes on an adventure to find the real man of her dreams: The fictitious Dr. Ravell (Kinnear).
As the story unfolds, the blurring of what is real and what is fantastical increases. The plot has many rich twists, and the acting is so top-notch that it comes off without a hitch.
Perhaps the most disturbing character in the story is played by Rock. Some reviews I’ve read suggest that he didn’t carry the part because it was so brutal, and he’s known for his comedy. I, however, have to disagree and say he not only carried the role, but did so in such a way that added a level of extra creepiness. Of course, with Crispin Glover on the set, that probably wasn’t an easy thing to do, because Glover doesn’t have to be in character to be creepy.
Nurse Betty: A found classic. If you’ve never seen it and enjoy dark comedy, I highly recommend it. It’s not for the kids though, there’s explicit violence, but it is a memorable and worthy film.
Find any classics lately?
Filed under: pop culture, film
Posted by: Molly | 8:43 am |
August 11th, 2005 at 9:44 am
My current “classic” was one I just caught the other night with my wife: French Kiss. I’ve always been a huge fan of both Kevin Kline and Jean-Paul Cardon, and always enjoye the cuteness of Meg Ryan. It’s funny, romantic, and great interaction between Kline and Ryan.
August 11th, 2005 at 9:56 am
Nurse Betty: Never seen it…..
Thomas: ‘French Kiss’ used to be one of my favourites (and not for ‘average’ Meg Ryan either) the comedy and interaction you refer to are EXACTLY what makes it work for me too. Who’s John-Paul Cardon? What about Jean Reno? I like the way Kevin Kline manages to be so damn…’French’ (impressive for someone who isn’t French - a good piece of acting!)
August 11th, 2005 at 10:22 am
Here are a couple films you may not have heard of:
Wilby Wonderful: A charming, small Canadian film, beautifully acted. See also Marion Bridge. Both are set in the Maritimes, and really lovely.
Code 46: This slow-burn sci-fi thriller got a very limited release, so you may not have seen it. I’d highly recommend it (see also my full review)
August 11th, 2005 at 10:34 am
Nothing in the “movies” category, but my recent “found classic” is the band The Tubes. They had their one or two eighties hits, which I enjoyed, but I never went beyond them to explore their past offerings. I really love the juvenile sexuality, the silliness, and the not-so-ordinary music that the band provides plenty of. Favorites: “Don’t Touch Me There,” “The Tubes World Tour,” “What Do You Want From Life,” “Slipped My Disco,” and the ever-popular “White Punks on Dope.” By all accounts, their pre-80’s shows were raucous, raunchy bacchanalias complete with nude dancers, chainsaws, body parts, elaborate stage and costume effects, etc. Sorta sorry I missed that.
August 11th, 2005 at 10:43 am
Nurse Betty is classic!
I recently found Ghost Dog.Not knowing what it was about before I saw it (and knowing that the person who watched it with me is prone to liking crap films), I was very pleasantly surprised.
August 11th, 2005 at 12:14 pm
A classic in the making? It’s perhaps hyperbolic to talk of Ricky Gervaise’s new offering currently airing its first series of six on the BBC as a classic. But IMHO “Extras” is even better than “The Office”. If you like quirky humour (and I know Molly likes Little Britain) it’s for you. Especially not to be missed is Kate Winslet playing herself, playing a nun….
August 11th, 2005 at 1:36 pm
I think I saw Nurse Betty when I was @ the Cannes Film Festival the first time (1999 if memory serves). The following year I caught another diamond in the rough while attending: Skipped Parts (Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Jason Leigh). I loved the movie so much, I tracked down the book, which was equally great.
August 11th, 2005 at 5:01 pm
Playing By Heart was one I had never heard of until I saw the cast of characters (Angelina Jolie [who I had never liked in anything before this], Anthony Edwards, Dennis Quaid, Ellen Burstyn, Gena Rowlands, Gillian Anderson, Jay Mohr, Jon Stewart, Madeleine Stowe, and Sean Connery) and decided that I had to see it.
A well written story that isn’t like everything else you’ve ever seen before (although I’ve seen a few copies since it came out) and great, real characters.
August 11th, 2005 at 5:15 pm
I’m just wondering how 5 year old movies are “classics”.
I was channel surfing the other night and came across “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”.
Hadn’t seen it for about 20 years and forgotten what are truly great movie it is.
August 11th, 2005 at 7:46 pm
My list of “classics” - movies that I love that didn’t get much mention…
Way of the Gun - Benecio Del Toro, James Caan, Ryan Phillipe
Replacement Killers - Chow Yun Fat, Mira Sorvino
Office Space - Too many great people to mention
Super Troopers - Broken Lizard
8mm - Nicolas Cage
Open Range - Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall
The Shootist - John Wayne, Ron Howard
The Terror - Boris Karloff, Jack Nicolson
Just a short list of some of my favs.
August 11th, 2005 at 10:56 pm
I can’t imagine designating as “classic” a film made after, say, 1975, either. But if very dark humor is your thing and you missed seeing “Barfly,” fill that gap soon.
August 12th, 2005 at 12:45 am
Here in the UK on our satellite television channels, the movie channels tend to put top movie premieres on on a Saturday night - however, during the week they also premiere less well-known movies which often get missed by the majority.
Nurse Betty was one of these mid-week first showings that I happily managed to catch by complete accident a couple of years ago.
What a great film. I too share a dark sense of humour (Grosse Pointe Blank being another such great) and this dishes it out in spades. If you haven’t seen it, take Molly’s advice and make sure you do.
August 12th, 2005 at 1:52 pm
Classic? Why sure. This is Internet time we speak of. Five years is half a lifetime!
August 12th, 2005 at 4:35 pm
Molly’s already a classic! *piches self*
August 13th, 2005 at 5:55 am
Five years is half an Internet lifetime?
Oy! I’ve been here two lifetimes already! (Suddenly I don’t feel so good….)
Another classic: “Stranger than Paradise.”
Oh, and I forgot to agree: “Nurse Betty” is perfection indeed. Check out Neil LaBute’s earlier films, too (”Your Friends and Neighbors” and “In the Company of Men”). Not outstanding like NB, but still worth watching.
August 14th, 2005 at 9:25 am
In my opinion a great movie (or anything, really) may become classic in an instance. I don’t care if it’s a hundred years old or just a millisecond.
Nurse Betty is an instant classic, Zellweger is a komedic pearl!
Yesterday I finally saw Get Shorty for the first time … It went right in on the list.
August 14th, 2005 at 2:25 pm
Of the many black comedies over the last 30 years, these are classic (not exhaustive):
Harold and Maude
Funny Bones
Montenegro
Dogma
Clockwatchers
August 17th, 2005 at 11:05 am
Sorry, Nurse Betty was kinda gross. Not sure why so many people liked it here. Nothing even remotely redeeming in it other than Renee’s performance. Reminded me of the same shock bit as Resevior Dogs.
Violence is useless on the screen unless its choregraphed like good dance sequences. Reality violence is just gross garbage.
Jeeze for classic unknowns go with
“Streets of Fire”. Great music, great sets, lotsa action and smoldering passion with lovely Diane Lane..hard to find tho.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
I just love a cool classic car like a convertible Cutlass. I see them all the time in movies and TV now.
September 17th, 2007 at 8:02 am
I found your blog via Google while searching for how to french kiss and your post regarding Found Classic: Nurse Betty looks very interesting for me
January 12th, 2008 at 11:23 am
thanks