Citizen Ruth

Citizen Ruth is a 1996 comedy film written by Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne. The film is the directorial debut of Payne. It stars Laura Dern in the title role of a poor, irresponsible and pregnant woman who unexpectedly attracts attention from those involved in the debate about the morality and legality of abortion.

The movie opens with Ruth Stoops and a man apparently an exboyfriend having intercourse on a bed in a flophouse, after which he disrespectfully throws her out of the apartment. She later goes to a hardware store to buy patio sealant and huffs it in a paper bag in an alley to get high. Ruth is portrayed as a dumb, inebriated addict, capable of doing nearly anything to get money or drugs.Ruth haskids, all of whom have been taken from her custody by the state because of her inability to care for them or even for herself. Her kids are scattered among three different homes. Ruth goes to the home of her brother and sisterinlaw to sneak a look at two of her kids and to beg her brother for money. ........

Source: Wikipedia