Nuts (DVD, 2003)

NUTS is a courtroom and psych ward drama about Claudia Draper (Barbra Streisand, who expertly plays that character of) a prostitute accused of killing one of her "customers." Streisand's brilliant performance with dialogues and monologues as she stands trial to determine her sanity before being tried for manslaughter, is represented by a fascinating lawyer (Richard Dreyfus). Their silent interactions drew me into the thickening plot.

During the psychiatric and court room examinations (dialogues and monologues)
Draper (Streisand) reveals new evidence about her family; a family who is bent upon having her involuntarily committed in a psychiatric institution. I cannot understand why Streisand didn't earn an Oscar for her phenomenally focused and pointed characterization of a woman so drastically different from her. The academy snubbing her on this one was a shame. This is one intense flick.

Again, Streisand plays multiple roles to create the film by both producing and starring in it with a great all star cast of supporting actors: Richard Dreyfuss, Karl Malden, Leslie Nielsen, Maureen Stapleton, Eli Wallach, Robert Webber, and James Whitmore. Richard Dreyfuss plays her leading man~

In my opinion, Barbara Streisand, were she from the UK, would have been offered the title of Dame by the Queen for her remarkable contributions to society through her films and singing performances.

Streisand has made unforgettable "moments" over and over again in nearly all of her performances and then turned her keen senses towards film direction.

"Nuts" is a story that no reviewer's mentioned here yet about America's dirty gigantic well kept hidden secret: father's having sex with their own daughters; incest.

Streisand plays the role of a woman who has lived with incest after effects all of her adult life. Her character shows how incest has impacted her. Now that her sanity is being questioned who would be there to testify against her but the great (recently deceased) Karl Malden, her father incestor and her mother, who "didn't know," Maureen Stapleton.

The incest doesn't come out until late in the film as Streisand's character's lawyer, Richard Dreyfus, who delivers one of his landmark performances, has a break through with his client while in court.

"Nuts" is a deep, heavy, intricately woven expose' of an American epidemic that's being swept under the rugs of each incestuous family's home. Predictably, the molesters do all that they can to make the survivor out to be "Nuts" or a liar. They do everything throughout the lives of their target to discredit them so that no one will believe them.

Streisand knew her topic meticulously well because she lands each of this points with emotionally rivetting "moments" on screen.

Barbra Streisand is understandably the focus of this film. She's the survivor who's being considered nuts and determined to prove otherwise. Richard Dreyfus plays the attorney who's going to have to put up with a difficult client in order to achieve their mutual goal. Karl Malden and Maureen Stapleton play key roles as Streisand's character's parents.

Streisand doen't open her golden throat to sing a note in this drama. She's all leading actress in this show, and how. I'll go out on a limb stating it's one of Streisand's top ten dramatic performances. The superior supporting cast delivers the goods too.

A different kind of movie for Babs. Barbara Streisand plays a hooker who kills a john (played by leslie neilson in a large step away from his normal characters) and is charged with murder.

She's arraigned to see if she is competant to stand trial, and with the help of her lawyer (brilliantly played by Richard Dreyfuss) blows the courtroom away.

The supporting cast included excellent portrayals by Karl Malden, Jeane Stapleton, and James Whitmore.

All and all an excellent movie.

Although I am not a Streisand fan, I feel this is one of the most spectacular of her performances. The way she and Richard Dreyfus plan off against each other, her secretiveness, determination, and sheer personality as Claudia are nothing short of fantastic. I have seen many of her other pictures, usually centered around her fantastic voice, but this movie truly brings out what a superb actress she really is. I would have liked to see this one nominated for an academy award for both the principal actors.