A naïve young girl from Kansas suffers a traumatic experience that alters her brain and makes her believe that she is living in a world that doesn't exist. Nope, not the Wizard of Oz, it's Nurse Betty. The girl in this case is Renee Zwelleger as a waitress in Outback Kansas who is married to a no-good car salesman. Her own life no bed of roses, Betty is addicted to a soap opera, and never misses an episode.

She can even pour coffee behind her back while watching t.v., a trait that draws the admiration of at least one customer, a hitman named Charlie, played by Morgan Freeman.

But then her life becomes rather dramatic. Charlie has business with Betty's husband that she accidentally witnesses. Business that is so unpleasant it sends her into severe shock resulting in her believing that she is a character in the soap opera she loves so much. So she loads up a Buick from her husband's lot and moves to LA to get together with the Doctor from the soap. Meanwhile, Charlie and his partner believe Betty has something of theirs, so they follow her across country, embarking on a somewhat bizarre road trip of their own.

Once in LA, things get quite complicated. Betty's charm and sincerity--not unlike Judy Garland's in Wizard of Oz--seem to rub off on everyone she meets, which opens all manner of doors for her. But the wicked witch is not far behind, nor is a return to reality.

I really enjoyed Nurse Betty. I found Renee Zwelleger to be the perfect blend of sweetness and naivete. It's a dangerous line to tread, since she often looks like a real dope, but Zwelleger pulls it off. Greg Kinear is also impressive as the soap opera Doctor who becomes entangled with Betty.

And Betty's asinine story line is counter-balanced by the brutality of Charlie and his partner, played by Chris Rock. And if Chris Rock seems a little lost in the film, it's likely because he's up against some pretty hefty talent.

All told, I enjoyed unraveling the intricacy of the film Nurse Betty. I enjoyed the play on Wizard of Oz, although the violence of Nurse Betty was far more graphic than a melting witch!


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