Press material for "Citizen Ruth" refers to the film as "An ironic commentary recalling the classic social comedies of Preston Sturges."
As Sturges himself might say, Balderdash.There is an urgent social issue - abortion - at the core of this so-called satire, but any resemblance to Sturges ends there. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to name a single Sturges film with as unsympathetic a character at its focus. (His most famous and outrageous comic classics being "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek," "Sullivan's Travels" and "The Lady Eve.")
In fact, there isn't anyone in the shrill, mean-spirited "Citizen Ruth" with whom the audience can identify, and that makes for an awfully bumpy ride.
Having said that, it must be noted that Laura Dern certainly makes an impression as the title character, Ruth Stoops. Her performance is fearless and convincing, if relentlessly despicable. She absolutely revels in the character's sense of single-minded irresponsibility.
Ruth is an unrepentant alcoholic and inhalant addict who finds herself pregnant for the fifth time (her brother and sister-in-law have custody of her children, and there is a restraining order to keep her away).
Despite the fetus growing inside her, however, Ruth has no intention of slowing down. She hits her brother up for $15 and uses it to buy booze and patio sealant. As a result, she's arrested for hazardous vapor inhalation - for the 16th time - and a judge (David Graf) takes her aside and says he'll go easy on her only if she has an abortion.
Soon, she is recruited by "Baby Savers," a rabid group of anti-abortionists, and finds herself in the home of fundamentalist Christians Kurtwood Smith and Mary Kay Place. (Despite their pious demeanors, they are, naturally, hypocrites in an extremely dysfunctional family.)
But even as they try to hold her up as a banner for their cause, Ruth is spirited away by a rabid pro-choice group, led by arch lesbians Swoosie Kurtz and Kelly Preston.
In the end, however, it all comes down to money, as Ruth's allegiance drifts from one side to the other, depending on how much cash they offer. All she's interested in is stockpiling aerosol.
The actors all throw themselves into their roles with abandon - they have to if they aren't going to be blown away by Dern. But co-writer/director Alexander Payne paints each role in broad caricatures strokes, particularly the national head of Baby Savers (Burt Reynolds), a bombastic preacher who may be a pedophile.
Overall, the film is as strident and harsh as its characters, and often downright irritating. There are some funny scenes, and amusing bits of business on the fringes of the film's narrative.
But without a focal point for audience identification, moviegoers will probably feel alienated rather quickly.
"Citizen Ruth," which had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival a year-and-a-half ago under the title "Meet Ruth Stoops" (although it was titled "Precious" in the film guide), is rated R for violence, gory abortion photos, graphic sex, partial nudity, harsh profanity, vulgarity and considerable drug abuse.