Citizen Ruth

Abortion. Another movie on abortion? I know what you're thinking but let me explain.

This 1996 directoral debut of the brilliant Alexander Payne ("Sideways," "Election," and my definite favorite "About Schmidt") is just as dark as his darkest movie ("Election" probably) and just as poignant as well ("About Schmidt"). Like with any one of Payne's movies, the first and final five minutes of the film are the culmination of a great work of art---as it communicates the ideas and truths and feelings that are found throughout the rest of the film. In "Citizen Ruth," Laura Dern gives a walloping, white-trash performance as a poor mother who huffs a lot, living in an America that only cares about causes--refusing to consider, even for a moment, the individual. This movie isn't about advocating pro-choice or pro-life political agendas because really, it spends the whole movie making fun of both sides. It faults the psycho-evangelical-no-questions-asked-picketing-'Abortion-Kills-Children' aproach of the right while dishing out that the left is more concerned with winning then losing to a group of "religious folks." Their are almost-equal attacks all around but really, the story is about Ruth--and about how no one really gives a rip about her needs and her life.

In one of the most poignant scenes from the film, Ruth is found in jail...crying out...praying out loud to God, curled up in the fetal position on the cold prison floor. She's crying out for love, crying out for help, and the rest of the film is seemingly what she gets. But is it enough?

With Rolfe Kent's beautiful and luminous score (again, the wonderful composer behind "About Schmidt" and Payne's other films) closing the end film sequence that shows once again, just how powerful "showing" and not "telling" the story is when it comes to watching movies, Payne constructs (like he always does) an ending that is not only better than the sum of the film's parts, but one that shows why he's still around making good films, almost 10 years later.

After "Vera Drake," check this one out for a way different perspective on the whole question of abortion. It doesn't give answers, just raises questions---and points to what should be the force driving any social movement or cause here in America. But please, please...understand "Citizen Ruth" is a very, very dark comedy. More disturbing and sad than it is laugh-out-loud funny.