Nurse Betty
Seen it?2000 | 108 min | Comedy, Crime, Thriller, Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (83% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a lukewarm 6.1 out of 10 from audiences and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved 21 Grams or Raising Arizona, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Funny with heart, tense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 48 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
What happens when a person decides that life is merely a state of mind? If you're Betty, a small-town waitress and soap opera fan from Fair Oaks, Kansas, you refuse to believe that you can't be with the love of your life just because he doesn't really exist. After all, life is no excuse for not living. Traumatized by a savage event, Betty enters into a fugue state that allows -- even encourages -- her to keep functioning... in a kind of alternate reality.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 69 on Metacritic
- AudiencesBelow par
6.1 out of 10
- AwardsSolid
Won 1 Golden Globe: Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$29 million worldwide on a $24 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 62K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Neil LaBute
- Morgan FreemanCharlie
- Renée ZellwegerBetty
- Chris RockWesley
- Greg KinnearDr. David Ravell
- Aaron EckhartDel
- Tia TexadaRosa
- Crispin GloverRoy
- Pruitt Taylor VinceBallard
- Allison JanneyLyla
- Kathleen WilhoiteSue Ann