The Movie Guys: Morgan Freeman a standout in ‘Nurse Betty’

Friday, Sept. 8, 2000 | 10:11 a.m.

The Movie Guys, starring Jeff Howard and Dave Neil, appears Fridays in the Sun. They can also be seen on the 11 a.m. Friday newscast on KVVU Channel 5. Plus, check them out online at lasvegassun.com/sun/sunlife/ movies and themovieguys.com.

Grade: Jeff B, Dave B

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Renee Zellweger, Chris Rock, Greg Kinnear and Aaron Echart.

Screenplay: John C. Richards and James Flamberg.

Director: Neil LaBute.

Rated: R for mature theme, profanity and graphic violence.

Running time: 112 minutes.

Playing at: UA Green Valley Cinemas, UA Showcase 8, UA Rainbow Promenade 10, Century Orleans, Rancho Santa Fe 16, Regal Cinemas Boulder Station, Regal Cinemas Colonnade 14, Regal Cinemas Texas Station 18, Regal Cinemas Village Square 18.

Synopsis: Betty Sizemore (Renee Zellweger), a waitress in a small Kansas town, fantasizes about a perfect life such as that of the doctors and nurses on the popular TV daytime drama, "A Reason to Love." When her husband Del (Aaron Eckhart) brings an illegal business deal into their home, Betty escapes into her fantasy and takes on the imagined persona, leading to murder and a cross-country chase for her life.

Jeff: Few filmmakers can capture the dark and miserable side of human nature. Neil LaBute is such a director, and his new film maintains his piercing look into the very soul of humankind, which dwells untold secrets and lies. "Nurse Betty" is escapism at its most extreme level. Betty Sizemore (Zellweger, seen in this summer's "Me, Myself & Irene") is in a rotten marriage to Del (LaBute-film veteran Eckhart), a husband who cares more about selling used cars than remembering his wife's birthday. To cover the pain, Betty lives vicariously through her favorite soap opera, catching the program between pouring cups of coffee at the local diner. It's only after witnessing Del's brutal murder that Betty assumes the character of Nurse Betty and, without so much as shedding a tear, travels to Los Angeles to find her true television love, Dr. David Ravell, played by actor George McCord (Greg Kinnear). Her new identity becomes a safe haven from her traumatic past.

Dave: Which leads to the two hit men responsible for the murder and searching for the sizable amount of drugs that Del had hidden in one of his used cars, a 1997 Buick LeSabre -- the LeSabre that Betty has borrowed to pursue her new, imaginary life. The highly professional Charlie (Morgan Freeman) and his coldhearted protege, Wesley (Chris Rock), are continually at odds. Charlie begins to obsess over the fact that Betty is "special" since this is his final job before retiring to Florida on his new boat, while Wesley feels inconvenienced by the ordeal and looks to assess the situation with a single bullet. As the two make their westwardly way, Betty reaches her destination and confronts McCord, whom she believes in her altered state is the dashing Dr. Ravell. Scribes John C. Richards and James Flamberg delve into a sadistically funny side of the various cha racters, exposing their limitations over abilities, their vulnerabilities over strengths, their humanity over dignity.

Jeff: Charlie describes his questionable occupation as "the garbage man of the human condition." He is a ruthless killer, but very likeable and confesses a hidden romantic infatuation with Betty, gazing at her picture every chance he gets. Charlie sits by and watches Wesley scalp Del, then later reveals his passions for walks in the rain, watching a sunset on a cool evening and daydreaming a romantic waltz with Betty on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Betty and Charlie are living in fantasy worlds, which will eventually collide with extreme consequences. Freeman is superb and gives one of his best performances in years, while Zellweger handles the complexity of Betty with ease and humor. "Nurse Betty" is an outstanding dark comedy that interprets the need for all of us to imagine ourselves during trying times and stressful situations by escaping through our favorite music, movies or, in this case, daytime dramas.

Dave: As Jeff pointed out, LaBute has an affinity for the darker side of human nature. His first two critically acclaimed features were quite viscous, with his male-dominated "In the Company of Men" (1997) followed by his sharp-tongued male/female bashing "Your Friends & Neighbors" (1998). "Nurse Betty," however, is tame and even more sophisticated by comparison, yet motivated by the same uniquely drawn characters brought to life by standout performances that have fueled his past controversial films. In addition to Freeman and Zellweger's early Oscar buzz, I might add that a restrained Rock was an interesting casting choice who proves worthy alongside his castmates. With Richards and Flamberg already riding a wave of success by receiving the Best Screenplay award at this year's Cannes International Film Festival, "Nurse Betty" is looking to kickoff what is unspokenly viewed as the season for serious Oscar contenders.