Nurse Betty (2000)

Director:

Neil LaBute

Writers (WGA):

John C. Richards (story)
John C. Richards (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 September 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

She's chasing a dream... they're chasing her.

Plot:

Comedy about a widow's post-traumatic obsession with a soap star.

Plot Keywords:

Murderer Duo | Irreverent | Lesbian | Beautiful Woman | Satire

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 12 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. July 25

12:00 AM

SHOW

Cast

Morgan Freeman	...	Charlie
Renée Zellweger	...	Betty Sizemore
Chris Rock	...	Wesley
Greg Kinnear	...	Dr. David Ravell / George McCord
Aaron Eckhart	...	Del Sizemore
Tia Texada	...	Rosa Hernandez
Crispin Glover	...	Roy Ostery
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Sheriff Eldon Ballard
Allison Janney	...	Lyla Branch
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Sue Ann Rogers
Elizabeth Mitchell	...	Chloe Jensen
Susan Barnes	...	Darlene
Harriet Sansom Harris	...	Ellen
Sung Hi Lee	...	Jasmine
Laird Macintosh	...	Dr. Lonnie Walsh / Eric
Steven Gilborn	...	Blake
Jenny Gago	...	Mercedes
Sheila Kelley	...	Joyce
Matthew Cowles	...	Merle
Wayne Tippit	...	Doctor
George Wallace	...	Grandfather Blaine (as George D. Wallace)
Lesley Woods	...	Grandmother Blaine
Cynthia Martells	...	Chief Nurse Iris Foster
Alfonso Freeman	...	ER Doctor
Kevin Rahm	...	Friend #1
Steven Culp	...	Friend #2
Deborah May	...	Gloria Walsh
Michael Murphy	...	Studio Guard
Tina Smith	...	Waitress
Mike Kennedy	...	Cook
Irene Olga López	...	Rosa's Mother (as Irene Olga Lopez)
Steve Franken	...	Administrator
Kelwin Hagen	...	Deputy
Josh Dotson	...	Parking Valet (as Joshua Dotson)
Donna Hardy	...	Woman Patient (as Dona Hardy)
Paul Threlkeld	...	Grip
José Vásquez	...	Gang Member (as Jose Vasquez)
Jack Jacobson	...	Stagehand
Elaine Corral Kendall	...	Anchor (as Elaine Corral-Kendall)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stacy Haiduk	...	Soap Opera Nurse (scenes deleted)
Christopher McDonald	...	Duane Cooley (scenes deleted)
Michelle Carmen Gomez	...	Woman at bar (uncredited)
Toby Linz	...	Sue Ann's Son (uncredited)
Hillary Straney	...	Woman in Hotel (uncredited)
Jenny Wade	...	Diner Waitress (uncredited)

Directed by
Neil LaBute

Writing credits (WGA)
John C. Richards		(story)
John C. Richards		(screenplay) &
James Flamberg		(screenplay)

Produced by
Moritz Borman	....	executive producer
Steve Golin	....	producer
W. Mark McNair	....	associate producer
Gail Mutrux	....	producer
Stephen Pevner	....	executive producer
Albert M. Shapiro	....	associate producer (as Albert Shapiro)
Chris Sievernich	....	executive producer
Philip Steuer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Rolfe Kent

Cinematography by
Jean-Yves Escoffier		(as Jean Yves Escoffier)

Film Editing by
Joel Plotch
Steven Weisberg

Casting by
Heidi Levitt
Monika Mikkelsen

Production Design by
Charles Breen

Art Direction by
Gary Diamond

Set Decoration by
Jeffrey Kushon

Costume Design by
Lynette Meyer

Makeup Department
Deena Adair	....	hair stylist: Mr. Freeman
Andre Blaise	....	key hair stylist (as André Blaise)
Colleen Callaghan	....	hair stylist: Ms. Zellweger
Lisa Deveaux	....	makeup artist: Mr. Rock
Michael Hancock	....	makeup artist: Mr. Freeman (as Michael A. Hancock)
Desne J. Holland	....	key makeup artist (as Desne Holland)
Sharon Ilson	....	makeup artist: Ms. Zellweger
Sharon Ilson	....	makeup department head
Scott Julion	....	hair stylist: Mr. Rock
Tracey Levy	....	makeup artist
Debra-Lee Davidson	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Mary Kim	....	makeup effects crew: Cannom Creations (uncredited)
Keith VanderLaan	....	makeup effects producer: Cannom Creations (uncredited)

Production Management
Tim Clawson	....	unit production manager
Fabiomassimo Dell'Orco	....	production manager: Rome
Steven Kaminsky	....	post-production supervisor
Marion Douglas	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Hardage	....	second second assistant director (as Philip L. Hardage)
Susan J. Hellmann	....	second assistant director
Enrico Mastracchi Manes	....	first assistant director: Rome
Albert M. Shapiro	....	first assistant director (as Albert Shapiro)
Philip Steuer	....	second unit director
Filippo Fassetta	....	second assistant director: Rome (uncredited)

Art Department
Henry Alberti	....	set designer
Nancy M. Bates	....	assistant property master
Tracy Farrington	....	property master
Robert Loyal Good	....	assistant property master
Werner Hoetzinger	....	set dresser
Heidi Hublou-Nunnally	....	set dresser (as Heidi Hublou)
Paul A. Minitello	....	lead scenic (as Paul Minitello)
Melissa Mollo	....	graphic designer
Fred Paulsen	....	set dresser (as Fred M. Paulsen)
Rhonda Paynter	....	on-set dresser
Richard Puga	....	stand-by painter
Jimmy Simeone	....	set dresser
Stan Tropp	....	set designer
Daniel Turk	....	construction coordinator (as Dan Turk)
Larry J. White II	....	lead man
Cosmas A. Demetriou	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Danny L. Turk	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bruce Barris	....	sound effects librarian
Bob Beher	....	supervising foley editor
Thor Benitez	....	adr recordist
Felipe Borrero	....	sound mixer
Lance Brown	....	sound designer
Lance Brown	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eddie Bydalek	....	sound recordist
Thomas Cunliffe	....	boom operator (as Thomas M. Cunliffe)
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Shawn Egan	....	assistant sound editor
Thom 'Coach' Ehle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Tony Flores	....	assistant sound engineer
Benjamin Ing	....	stereo sound consultant: SDDS
John Keating	....	stereo sound consultant: DTS
Shawn Kennelly	....	adr mixer
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Steve Mann	....	sound editor
Michael A. Morongell	....	sound re-recording engineer
Steve Nelson	....	sound editor
Anthony Ortiz-Quinones	....	sound utility
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Sean Rowe	....	foley artist
Chris Staszak	....	adr recordist
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Eric Thompson	....	foley mixer
Robert Troy	....	sound editor
Tim Tuchrello	....	assistant sound editor
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	sound editor
Aaron D. Weisblatt	....	sound editor
Bernard Weiser	....	sound editor
Richard E. Yawn	....	supervising sound editor
Anthony Ortiz	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Aaron Rihel	....	sound transferer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Larz Anderson	....	special effects coordinator
Shea Clayton	....	on set artist: Captive Audience Productions
Rick Bongiovanni	....	special effects crew: Cannom Creations (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Liz Radley	....	video & computer graphics supervisor (as Elizabeth Radley)
Patrick Clancey	....	effects compositor of video playback material (uncredited)
Rafael Macho	....	title designer (uncredited)

Stunts
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts (as Simmone Boissereé)
Charlie Brewer	....	stunt coordinator
Kelly Brown	....	stunts
William H. Burton Jr.	....	stunts (as Billy Burton Jr.)
Mike Ceballos	....	stunts
Leonard Creer Jr.	....	stunts (as Leo Creer Jr.)
Tim Gilbert	....	stunts
Jack Gill	....	stunts
Steve Holladay	....	stunts (as Steve Holaday)
Mike Ryan	....	stunts
Kevin Scott	....	stunts
Scott Workman	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Bauman	....	gaffer
Bruce Birmelin	....	still photographer
Martin Bosworth	....	rigging gaffer
Robin Bursey	....	camera loader
Michael Cassidy	....	second assistant camera (as Mike Cassidy)
Michael A. Chavez	....	camera operator (as Michael Chavez)
David Diamond	....	rigging best boy electric
Oscar Gomez	....	rigging best boy grip
Jorge H. Guzman	....	key grip
Al Lieberman	....	rigging key grip
Dean Lyras	....	director of photography: second unit
Mark Marchetti	....	best boy electric
Todd McMullen	....	first assistant camera
Eric L. Roberts	....	video assist operator (as Eric Roberts)
Paul Threlkeld	....	dolly grip
Scott Wells	....	best boy grip (as Scott 'Thumper' Wells)
David A. Armstrong	....	daily first assistant camera (uncredited)
Mark Burnett	....	video engineer (uncredited)
Dale Carlson	....	video camera (uncredited)
Frank Endewardt	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Jamal J. Farley	....	electrician (uncredited)
Bob Gorelick	....	steadicam operator (uncredited)
R. Dana Harlow	....	grip (uncredited)
Adam Kimmerlin	....	camera intern (uncredited)
Dan Kneece	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Dan Kneece	....	additional steadicam operator (uncredited)
Steven Mann	....	camera operator: "b" camera (uncredited)
Andy Young	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Leah Buono	....	casting assistant
Brett Greenstein	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Rich King	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Dozier	....	costumer (as Jennifer Rae Dozier)
Mynka Draper	....	costumer
Shari Gray	....	costume supervisor (as Shari D. Gary)
Kelli Stallings	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Wade Bartlett	....	assistant editor (as 'Ice' Wade Bartlett)
Joseph Bond	....	associate editor (as Joseph C. Bond IV)
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Emily Palmer	....	post-production assistant
Tom Sartori	....	colorist: video mastering
Randy Trager	....	assistant editor
Dan Valliere	....	color timer
Laura Lee Bong	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Sandra Grubb	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)
Dwight Raymond	....	conforming editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Tony Blondal	....	orchestrator
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer
Tim Boyle	....	score recordist
James Flamberg	....	additional music editor
Tod Holcomb	....	additional music editor
Frankie Pine	....	music supervisor
Nick South	....	music editor
William T. Stromberg	....	conductor (as Bill Stromberg)
Kerry Wikstrom	....	additional orchestrator
David Sabee	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Brum	....	transportation co-captain
Rick Mercier	....	transportation captain (as Richard Mercier)
Antonio Molina	....	transportation coordinator (as Antonio M. Molina)
Jerry A. Oliveri	....	picture car captain
Mark Brown	....	driver: production van (uncredited)
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car (uncredited)
Robert Gaskill	....	driver: Mr. Freeman (uncredited)
Roger Wooge	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Alexa Alden	....	script supervisor
Gina Amoroso	....	assistant: Mr. Golin
Paul Ballon	....	assistant accountant (as Paul J. Ballon)
Michael S. Baumohl	....	unit publicist
Jeff Bilger	....	set production assistant
Garrett Brodie	....	assistant: Mr. Golin
Julie Carideo	....	assistant: Ms. Mutrux
Shelley Curtis	....	technical advisor: soap opera (as Shelly Curtis)
Nour Dardari	....	production accountant
Matt DiFranco	....	assistant production coordinator
Georgia Evangelatos	....	craft service
Peter Evangelatos	....	craft service
Zachary Gamburg	....	assistant: Mr. LaBute
Karen Ruth Getchell	....	production coordinator
Elizabeth Gilman	....	production assistant
Susan Giordano	....	assistant accountant (as Susan L. Giordano)
Dan Gorman	....	assistant location manager
Jeff Gross	....	assistant: Mr. Steuer
Robert Hepburn	....	set medic (as Robert 'Sarge' Hepburn)
Mary Holliday	....	set production assistant
Bob Kay	....	set production assistant (as Robert E. Kay)
Enrico Latella	....	location manager: Rome
Ute Leonhardt	....	production services: Rome
Kali Londono	....	assistant: Mr. Rock (as Kali Londoño)
Jadi McCurdy	....	set production assistant
Smriti Mundhra	....	production assistant
John Panzarella	....	location manager
Quentin Pierre	....	assistant: Mr. Freeman
Marco Valerio Pugini	....	production services: Rome
Ashley M. Rogers	....	assistant: Ms. Zellweger (as Ashley Rogers)
Leslie Thorson	....	assistant location manager
Christopher Vitale	....	production assistant
Dave Yrueta	....	assistant location manager (as David Yrueta)
Damien Breen	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Lorenzo Caccialanza	....	dubbed voice (uncredited)
Kyle Cooper	....	executive producer: main title sequence (uncredited)
Paul Hargrave	....	executive location manager: Propaganda Films (uncredited)
Harvey Lowry	....	operations manager: Captive Audience Productions (uncredited)
Melissa Park	....	stand-in: Renee Zelwegger (uncredited)
Volker Schauz	....	production executive (uncredited)
Eric Smith	....	title designer (uncredited)
Miles Teves	....	sculptor: Cannom Creations (uncredited)
Shea Varge	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Stephen Dickstein	....	thanks
Michael Kuhn	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Gramercy Pictures
• IMF Internationale Medien und Film GmbH & Co. Produktions KG
• Pacifica Film
• Propaganda Films
• ab'-strakt pictures

Distributors

• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (Germany)
• Kinowelt Hungary (Hungary)
• Lolistar (France)
• Odeon (Greece)
• Pathé Distribution (UK)
• USA Films (USA)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• United International Pictures (Far East)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (VHS)
• West (Russia)

Special Effects

• Cannom Creations (special makeup effects)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  animal action monitored by
• Atumusica  music preparation
• Calvin Klein  eyewear provided by
• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Conway Studios Hollywood, California  score mixed at
• Custom Film Effects  main and end title opticals
• Encore Int'l Group  unit publicist
• FotoKem Laboratory  video mastering
• Grand Canyon West  thanks
• Hualapai Tribe  thanks
• Imaginary Forces  main title sequence design
• In Motion Catering  catering
• Kary Cantor  classic hardware provided vy
• Landau  medical uniforms provided by
• Le Mobile Remote Recording Studios  mobile recording unit
• Leonetti Company  production equipment
• Levi  wardrobe provided by
• NT Audio Visual  optical sound negative
• Nike  wardrobe provided by
• Pacific Title/Mirage  film and digital opticals
• Panorama Films  production services
• Peach Springs, Arizona  thanks
• Rich King Casting  extras casting
• Rocky Mountain Motion Pictures  camera equipment provided by
• Seattlemusic  orchestra contracted by
• SoundStorm  sound editing
• Summit Entertainment  foreign sales
• Valentino's Costumes  tuxedos provided by (as Valentino's)
• Wilshire Stages, The  mixed and re-recorded at

Also Known As:

Nurse Betty - Gefährliche Träume (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA (original rating) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Canada:14A | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Durango, Colorado, USA

Company:

Gramercy Pictures

Trivia:

The scalping scene had to be trimmed in order to get an R rating.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Betty gets to her friend's house after being questioned at the police station, the blankets covering her in bed change drastically.

Quotes:

Charlie: How'd they describe her?
Wesley: You know, blonde, thin, whatever.
Charlie: Slow down: blonde, thin, yeah. Did they say anything about style? Did they mention grace?

Movie Connections:

References Pulp Fiction (1994)

Soundtrack:

Cuando Me Quieres

Nurse Betty (2000)

With Nurse Betty (2000), acclaimed indie film-maker Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men, Your Friends & Neighbors) makes his breakthrough into the big-budgeted (Betty's $24 million as opposed to Company's measly $25,000), mainstream realm -- and yet remains true to his roots. While his cast is now composed of A-list Hollywood names (Renee Zellweger, Morgan Freeman, and stand-up comedian Chris Rock), his material remains just as bizarre and quirky as his first two features, proving that he just may be the next big thing. Nurse Betty is one of the darkest comedies to be advertised towards a mainstream audience in years, and considering its moderate box office and critical success, perhaps moviegoers weren't as dumb and brainwashed as we though they were. The story follows (both figuratively AND literally) a naive waitress (Zellweger) who has fallen in love from afar with a handsome soap star (As Good As It Gets's Greg Kinnear) but is trapped in a loveless marriage to a slimy car dealer (Aaron Eckhart, who made his big-screen debut in Company). When her husband is gruesomely murdered by two hitmen (Freeman and Rock), she's sent into shock and obliviously sets out for Hollywood to meet her object of affection -- unaware that he's only an actor. When Freeman and Rock discover that the car she took contains 10 kilos of cocaine, they hit the road as well and outrageousness ensues. Fans of LaBute's previous work might have a hard time figuring out how this could possibly be the same guy who directed In the Company of Men -- a tragicomedy about two cruel sexist pigs who play a practical joke on a deaf co-worker --, but when you think about it, the connection is rather clear: in Company, a vulnerable woman is unaware that she is being ruthlessly taken advantage of. In Betty, a vulnerable housewife is unaware that the man she's chasing thinks her genuine adoration is nothing more than a joke. Some might begin to wonder if LaBute is really some sort of misogynist himself -- considering that his recurring theme involves the downfall of innocent women. But personally, I think he's coming to the defense of the fair sex and dealing far more harshly with the abusers in his pictures than the abused. One of the many charms of this film is that it's absurdity is full-fledged: most directors, when handling a script such as this one, would leave the story at two hitmen chasing a woman chasing a dream. But LaBute knows better, and has one of the hitmen (Freeman) fall obsessively for Betty as well. This was an interesting role for Freeman to take, because it allowed him to play off of his trademark `this-is-the-last-time' character (see Unforgiven, Se7en, and 1998's stinker Hard Rain); the supporting cast also includes the likes of famed weirdo Crispin Glover (Back to the Future), Allison Janney, and `Mad About You's Kathleen Wilhoite. The script, written by first-timers John C. Richards and James Flamberg, is deliriously over-the-top (honestly: have you ever seen a comedy -- or ANY movie, for that matter -- in which a man is scalped in his own dining room?). You could argue that the ending is a little too perfect, but it's really not worth denying everything that's great about the film for one trivial complaint. If Nurse Betty is any sign of what LaBute has in store for us next, you can bet that I'll be lining up for whatever he decides to follow it up with.

Grade: A-