The film introduces Betty Sizemore (played by Renée Zellweger), a sweet and naive waitress in a small Kansas town who is obsessed with a soap opera called “A Reason to Love.” Betty is unhappily married to her abusive husband, Del (played by Aaron Eckhart), who is involved in drug dealing and criminal activities.
One day, Betty witnesses Del’s murder at the hands of two hitmen, Charlie (played by Morgan Freeman) and Wesley (played by Chris Rock), who are sent by a drug lord named “The Cowboy” (played by Greg Kinnear). Traumatized by the event, Betty suffers a mental breakdown and becomes convinced that she is a character named Nurse Betty from her favorite soap opera.
Believing that she is on a mission to reunite with her true love, Dr. David Ravell (played by Greg Kinnear), Betty sets out on a cross-country journey to Los Angeles, where she believes the soap opera is filmed. Along the way, she encounters various characters who are both amused and concerned by her delusions.
Meanwhile, Charlie and Wesley, fearing that Betty may have witnessed too much, set out to find her and tie up loose ends. As they track Betty across the country, they leave a trail of chaos and violence in their wake.
As Betty’s journey unfolds, she begins to question her own reality and the choices she has made in her life. Along the way, she forms an unlikely bond with a lonely salesman named George McCord (played by Chris Rock), who becomes her unwitting accomplice in her quest for love and redemption.
In the climactic finale, Betty confronts Dr. Ravell on the set of “A Reason to Love” and comes face-to-face with the truth about her delusions. As she struggles to come to terms with reality, Betty finds the strength to confront her past and embrace her future with newfound clarity and resolve.
“Nurse Betty” is a darkly comedic and thought-provoking film that explores themes of delusion, identity, and the power of imagination. With its quirky characters, clever dialogue, and unexpected twists, the film offers a unique and entertaining take on the classic road trip genre.