Citizen Ruth

A paint-fume addict becomes a pawn in the war between pro-life and pro-choice groups.

Citizen Ruth is ambitious. Attempting to satirize one of the most controversial issues in society today is a daunting task. For even attempting it, the filmmakers deserve some credit. However, their obvious disdain for all their characters combined with a cop-out ending, leave much to be desired.

Laura Dern gives a great performance in the lead, but unfortunately her character is so thoroughly unlikeable that you can’t wait for her scenes to be over. Such is the case with most of the characters, and as a result most of the humor falls flat. The notable exception is Burt Reynolds, whose character is perfectly over the top and, as such, actually funny.

The real culprit here is the script by director Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor. It provides the viewer with no one to identify with or root for. Instead it waffles between both sides, and ultimately takes the obvious cop-out ending. The result is less a message that both sides are wrong, and more a message that people are awful.

With more over-the-top characters it could have been a wonderful satire, and with a more meaningful message it could have been a wonderful drama, but as it stands it’s neither.