Citizen Ruth (1996)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Alexander Payne

Writers (WGA):

Alexander Payne (written by) &
Jim Taylor (written by)

Release Date:

13 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Life, liberty, money and the pursuit of happiness. She's gotta have it.

Plot:

An unintelligent, drug-addicted, recently impregnated woman finds herself in the middle of an abortion debate when both parties attempt to sway her to their side.

Plot Keywords:

Abortion | Prayer | Lesbian | Satire | Huffing

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Laura Dern	...	Ruth Stoops
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Diane Siegler
Kurtwood Smith	...	Norm Stoney
Mary Kay Place	...	Gail Stoney
Kelly Preston	...	Rachel
M.C. Gainey	...	Harlan
Kenneth Mars	...	Dr. Charlie Rollins
David Graf	...	Judge Richter
Kathleen Noone	...	Nurse Pat
Tippi Hedren	...	Jessica Weiss
Burt Reynolds	...	Blaine Gibbons
Lance Rome	...	Ricky, Ruth's Lover
Jim Kalal	...	Tony Stoops
Shea Degan	...	Arresting Officer
Vince Morelli	...	Dr. George

Also Known As:

Meet Ruth Stoops
Precious (USA) (working title)
The Devil Inside (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for substance abuse, strong language and a sex scene.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (FotoKem)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:MA | Spain:18 | Sweden:11 | USA:R | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

3216 1st Avenue, Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA

Company:

Independent Pictures (II)

Trivia:

The "ASK ME" pin worn by Kurtwood Smith in the hardware store shows up again in Alexander Payne's following film, Election (1999).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Ruth is going out to party with her host family's daughter, she takes a hit from a bong, but does so incorrectly, not clearing the smoke from the chamber.

Quotes:

Ruth: [after seeing a movie about abortion] I slept in a few dumpsters. Maybe I slept on some babies.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Citizen Kane (1941)

Fantastic

There is something about Citizen Ruth that keeps me coming back to it. I must have seen it 30 times and haven't tired of it yet. It is genuine and the people are so amazingly real. It's almost as if some of my neighbours seem just like the characters in the film. That says a lot in my opinion. The Mid-west is a land that holds a special place in the American psyche. I can literally count on my hands the number of films that truly capture its spirit. Citizen Ruth is one of those films. From scenes in the hardware store to large rear wheel drive Fords, everything fits perfectly. This film captures a place called Omaha which for better or worse Hollywood largely ignores. It also treats a controversial topic like abortion in a thoughtful manner. Excellent film. Highly recommended.

10 out of 10 stars.