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starring: Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz, Mary Kay Place, Kurtwood Smith, Kelly Prestondirected by: Alexander Payne
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786304438190
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
ISBN: 6304438192
Label: Walt Disney Video
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Walt Disney Video
Release Date: February 04, 2003
Running Time: 106 minutes
Sales Rank: 29693
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Theatrical Release Date: December 13, 1996
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
An uneven script is the flaw of this social satire set in America's heartland. It deals with an unrepentant junkie, played with unexpected finesse by Laura Dern. Pregnant for the umpteenth time and informed by a judge he may overlook felony charges if she aborts the pregnancy, the stoned Ruth Stoops is claimed as a dazed spokesperson by both sides of the controversial abortion issue. This has a lot to say about the abuse and influence of the media The black, black humor is subtle and intelligent and quite often works in the hands of the strong supporting cast. However, the script occasionally lurches into depressing territory, throwing off the balance. Still, this raises interesting issues and Dern's performance is very powerful. Ruth is flawed and prickly, but Dern brings her to life by imbuing her with interesting personality tics. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Get the message
If you enjoy dark humor, political satire, and the movie "Election" (Is that redundant); then I highly recommend this gem of a movie. The movie is dated; but the subject matter is just as important, meaningful, and funny today!
Rating:  - What a disappointment!
I knew the subject matter was a bit edgy, but when the accolades on the DVD case say "one of the funniest movies in years" I expected at least a few smiles. I expected dark humor. I expected cutting satire.
Instead, it is one of the most irritating, tedious films possible. The characters are either trivialized or stereotyped and all so pathetically portrayed as to make you not care who wins the battle for Ruth's fetus.
Laura Dern gives a great performance as the damaged ... Read More
Rating: - Dark and Hysterical
I enjoyed this movie moderately while watching it. However, it was later while reflecting upon the movie that I realized how much I truly liked it.
Laura Dern does an amazing job. Ruth lacks a single redeeming quality and is one of the most unlikeable characters I have ever experienced. And although I tend to value the talents of actors towards the bottom of the ladder in the context of true talents or contribution to society, even I can recognize it takes a great actor to pull off ... Read More
Rating:  - Brilliant satire
"Citizen Ruth" is an absolute gem, a brilliant satire of the abortion debate - an easy task to screw up and a very difficult one to pull off. It pulls it off with laughs, heart, and one of the most perfect final scenes I've ever seen.
Rating:  - Heavy-handed, Predictable, and Not Funny
I did not much enjoy this film, and I didn't find it very clever or funny.
It's true, as other amazon reviewers have noted, that Citizen Ruth stereotypes both sides of the abortion issue. Does that make it an intelligent and even-handed comic treatment of a complex topic? No, indeed.
Along the way, it also stereotypes poor people, middle class people, teenagers, drug addicts, Christians, and Vietnam veterans. That doesn't make it funny, though, because the satire is so ... Read More
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