I did not like the film much (despite liking other Altman films), but she raved about it.

If you want to see what a terrible Altman film really looks like, try Health.

If "Cookie's Fortune" is lighter and less haunting than Altman films of that era, it is also more tightly plotted and direct.

Ebert specifically noted a quality of the film that many Altman films share: a focus on character rather than plot.

He went on to appear in seven more Altman films, including "Thieves Like Us."

But those kinds of issue are not supposed to come up on an Altman film, let alone one about a radio show whose primary franchise is carefully observed decency.

"One feels great risks were not taken, which is unusual for even the worst Altman films," says the New York Observer 's Andrew Sarris.

A script was completed before filming, although, as with most Altman films, the script was preliminary for what emerged during production.

An Altman film might offer a babble of voices competing for attention in crowded, smoky scenes.