Citizen Ruth (1996): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Citizen Ruth is a 1996 comedy drama directed by Alexander Payne, starring Laura Dern, Mary Kay Place and Kurtwood Smith. It runs 1 hour 46 minutes and earned $285,112 worldwide. Critics gave it 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 46m (106 min)
- Director
- Alexander Payne
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- New Films International
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Citizen Ruth About?
The premise of Citizen Ruth without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Following an unplanned pregnancy, Ruth Stoops unexpectedly finds herself at the center of a media storm. Outsiders and curious onlookers descend, eager to capitalize on her story and exploit her situation. As the chaos escalates, Ruth struggles to navigate the absurd and often intrusive attention, finding unexpected connections and humor amidst the turmoil.
Citizen Ruth Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- unwanted pregnancy
- unexpected pregnancy
- drug abuse
- homeless woman
- abortion
- female protagonist
- substance abuse
- pregnancy
- woman wears eyeglasses
- drug addiction
- manipulation
- homelessness
+38 more Show fewer
- drug addict
- justice system
- wanting abortion
- misinformation
- anti abortion activist
- reference to child endangerment
- church and state conflict
- church state enmeshment
- separation of church and state
- women's rights
- reproductive rights
- abortion clinic
- anti abortion protestor
- abortion rights
- anti abortion demonstration
- american media
- american politics
- privacy
- religious protest
- taking advantage
- taking advantage of someone
- activists
- bribery
- pregnant woman
- difficult decision
- personal freedom
- poverty
- selfishness
- loss of pregnancy
- using people
- women
- self determination
- bag of money
- satire comedy
- woman
- reward money
- anti choice
- sex scene during opening credits
Citizen Ruth Cast
Laura Dern leads the cast, with Mary Kay Place and Kurtwood Smith. Directed by Alexander Payne; 4 actors are credited in all.
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Director Alexander Payne
More from Alexander Payne
More films directed by Alexander Payne, best-rated first: The Holdovers, Sideways, Nebraska and About Schmidt.
Citizen Ruth Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Citizen Ruth 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.
-
IMDb 7.0 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 81% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 74%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 63 Metascore
User score 6.5
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 66% User score
See on TMDB
Citizen Ruth Plot Summary
What happens in Citizen Ruth from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Ruth Stoops is a woman engulfed in desperation in Nebraska, desperately seeking substances to dull her inner pain. As an addict, she’s willing to sacrifice everything—including her four children, who have been taken from her due to her inability to provide a stable environment. One fateful morning, after a night of reckless partying with her boyfriend, Ruth finds herself unceremoniously thrown out of their flophouse apartment, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.
In search of comfort, she turns to her brother’s house, hoping to catch a glimpse of two of her children and plead for financial help. However, instead of a warm welcome, Ruth finds herself waiting at the back door, reminiscent of a discarded animal, as feelings of shame and inadequacy wash over her.
Full summary
The whole story of Citizen Ruth, scene by scene
Citizen Ruth Box Office
Citizen Ruth grossed $285,112 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$285.1K
- US & Canada
- $285.1K
Citizen Ruth Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 featurette.
- Featurette 'Citizen Ruth' | Critics' Picks | The New York Times
How Well Do You Know Citizen Ruth?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the main character's name in Citizen Ruth?
Cars in Citizen Ruth
42 cars on screen, including the 1982 Ford Escort and the 1983 Ford LTD Country Squire.
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1982 Ford Escort Important role -
1983 Ford LTD Country Squire Important role -
1977 Buick LeSabre Minor role -
1968 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Minor role
Citizen Ruth Also Known As
12 alternative titles, including “Citizen Ruth - Baby Business” and “Baby Business”.
- Also known as
-
- Citizen Ruth - Baby Business
- Baby Business
- La storia di Ruth - Donna americana
- Ruth, una chica sorprendente
- 시티즌 루스
- Ez az életem
- Гражданка Рут
- Občanka Ruth
- Πολίτης Ρουθ
- 公民露丝
- Громадянка Рут
- Złe i gorsze
Seen Citizen Ruth?
Movies Like Citizen Ruth
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Preggoland, Ruth & Boaz and Roe vs. Wade.
Citizen Ruth FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Citizen Ruth, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Citizen Ruth?
Citizen Ruth runs 1 hour 46 minutes (106 minutes).
When was Citizen Ruth released?
Citizen Ruth was released on December 13, 1996.
Who directed Citizen Ruth?
Citizen Ruth was directed by Alexander Payne.
More films by Alexander Payne Who is in the cast of Citizen Ruth?
Citizen Ruth stars Laura Dern, Mary Kay Place and Kurtwood Smith, among 4 credited actors.
How much did Citizen Ruth make at the box office?
Citizen Ruth grossed $285,112 worldwide.
How is Citizen Ruth rated?
Citizen Ruth has 7.0/10 on IMDb, 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 63 on Metacritic and 66% on TMDB.
Does Citizen Ruth have a post-credit scene?
No. Citizen Ruth has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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