Citizen Ruth

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Citizen Ruth

R,

1996,

1h 44m,

Comedy

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Watchlist

84%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

73%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Citizen Ruth is the story of Ruth Stoops (Laura Dern), a woman who nobody even noticed -- until she got pregnant. Now, everyone wants a piece of her. The film is a comedy about one woman caught in the ultimate tug-of-war: a clash of wild, noisy, ridiculous people that rapidly dissolves into a media circus.

Critics Consensus

Smart and sharply funny, Citizen Ruth is an entertaining look at a tough subject -- and an impressive calling card for debuting director/co-writer Alexander Payne.

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Ella Taylor

L.A. Weekly

Apr 10, 2026

Citizen Ruth is a very funny film, all the funnier because Payne has cannily toned down the vaudeville to a couple of notches above reality.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

3/4

The movie is a gallery of sharp-edged satiric portraits.

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Mike Clark

USA Today

Jan 1, 2000

3/4

It's probably too schematic to reward more than a single viewing, but as a provocative one-time surprise it may become a specialized sleeper.

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Tomas Hachard

Esquire Magazine

Oct 17, 2018

The movie's most charming characteristic is, in fact, its irreverence: It bears the tell-tale signs of a young director taking aim at, and then laughing off, the absurdities of the world he grew up in.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Jun 1, 2006

3/5

Uncharacteristically of Payne, the film lacks a sharp point of view, unfloding as a series of gigs (some quite funny), trying to be too fair--for a satire--to both sides of the abortion issue.

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Jan 6, 2006

4/5

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Leia L

Jan 5, 2018

Pitch perfect satire that leaves no side unscathed. Definitely a prime Female Anxiety Movie. Ruth is caught in the middle of a tug-of-war of lofty ideals, but the movie itself thankfully never abandons her - I felt strangely touched by the scene where she's about to get into the helicopter and then screams at her mother about being molested as a child. It was done as an almost comedy beat but the impact was more of an "oh shit" moment. She's a pretty terrible person but at least she has reasons for it. She's far more realistic than the caricature she's painted by both the freaky fundamentalists and the granola pro-choicers. The only downside to watching this movie is having to sit through the same arguments we've heard ad nauseum for decades. The second the movie hunkers down in the trenches it becomes pretty predictable... which isn't to say it's not enjoyable, but like you just gotta be in the mood to want to get angry about politics if you watch this. Oh and Laura Dern is perfection.

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Finn R

Dec 26, 2017

A masterful piece of satire whose specific milieu is the 'abortion wars' , but which could apply to anything in American life these days. Laura Dern gives a fantastically unsympathetic performance as a woman who knows what she wants - and what she wants is drugs. This is the rare comedy that has improved with age.

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Alexander Payne

Director

Laura Dern

Ruth Stoops

Swoosie Kurtz

Diane

Kurtwood Smith

Norm Stoney

Mary Kay Place

Gail Stoney

Kelly Preston

Rachel

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Synopsis

Citizen Ruth is the story of Ruth Stoops (Laura Dern), a woman who nobody even noticed -- until she got pregnant. Now, everyone wants a piece of her. The film is a comedy about one woman caught in the ultimate tug-of-war: a clash of wild, noisy, ridiculous people that rapidly dissolves into a media circus.

Director: Alexander Payne
Producer: Cathy Konrad, Cary Woods
Screenwriter: Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax Films
Rating: R (Substance Abuse|Strong Language|Sex Scene)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 13, 1996, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 14, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $278.5K
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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