MovieChat Forums > Nuts (1987) Discussion > Great, but somewhat predictable story

Great, but somewhat predictable story

posted 10 years ago by Melissaslist
1 reply | jump to latest

The story was pretty heartbreaking. From the beginning it was clear that something traumatic happened to her in childhood. Why else would a woman from a nice family turn to prostitution? I suppose it happens but unlikely.

Loved Richard Dryfus as always. Very heroic.

Thought Streisand was very moving in this role. Clearly she was sharp as a tack, but unable or unwilling to disclose the reasons why she ended up where she did.

What seemed odd to me (maybe it was this period in time) that her mother and stepfather would be so hell bent on being committed to an institution. If they are covering up this great big secret wouldn't they think this would most likely be uncovered eventually??? I suppose they thought that if she was committed and seen as insane than their logic would be that anything she said or did would not be credible or taken seriously. People would just dismiss her as crazy.

[–] jmatrixrenegade 10 years ago

This was on early this morning.

The movie is good but somewhat over the top -- kind of preachy and stagy. No wonder -- it originated as a play.

I think the parents think committing her would sweep things under the rug & she would ultimately be found not guilty on account of insanity or something. Also, civil commitment hearings etc. would be much less public than a flashy criminal trial of a prostitute killing a client. This seems credible.

As you say, labeling her as crazy is a form of robbing her respect in the eyes of others, it continues the stepfather's use of power and money to control things. The use of a family lawyer only adds to that.

The cast is filled with top actors, including Leslie Nielsen in an unexpected heel turn. The judge in competency hearing also played a prisoner in "Shawshank Redemption."