In Tettley, Missouri, Amos Lansing (Stanley Tucci) is having an affair with Charleen Barnes (Faye Grant). He's an used car salesman working for her husband Bob Barnes. When he offers to take her to Mexico, she runs off. Someone comes into the motel room and kills him with a shot to the head. The gun is thrown into the river and found by perennial doormat librarian Mrs. Elizabeth Louise 'Betty Lou' Perkins (Penelope Ann Miller). Her husband police detective Alex Perkins (Eric Thal) missed their anniversary dinner and is going to miss her library fundraiser for the murder case. She puts the gun in her handbag and calls Alex but he keeps brushing her off. When Elinor (Julianne Moore) pulls her into the store, Betty Lou has enough of everybody ignoring her and fires the gun in the washroom. With everybody dismissing her, she proclaims her guilt and is arrested. She gains confidence in jail with hooker Reba Bush (Cathy Moriarty) and starts weaving a tall tale about the shooting. She hires rookie lawyer Ann Orkin (Alfre Woodard) who helped her in the grocery line. Things get even more complicated when the FBI shows up claiming Amos is a fake identity and he's actually a mobster witness against ruthless mob boss Billy Beaudeen (William Forsythe). Beaudeen is after Amos' incriminating tape assumed to be now in Betty Lou's possession. She becomes an overnight star.
Penelope Ann Miller is fun both as the timid librarian and as the more assertive woman. The movie was almost universally panned. It deserves better. Miller is appealing. It's nothing excessively funny but there are a couple of good laughs. It is an enjoyable farce.
Penelope Ann Miller is fun both as the timid librarian and as the more assertive woman. The movie was almost universally panned. It deserves better. Miller is appealing. It's nothing excessively funny but there are a couple of good laughs. It is an enjoyable farce.