Nuts is a 1987 drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Barbra Streisand as Claudia Draper, a high-class call girl who is charged with manslaughter after killing one of her clients in self-defense.
Claudia's wealthy parents are anxious to keep the news of her arrest from becoming public, and they worry that she may reveal embarrassing family secrets during the court proceedings. They attempt to have her declared mentally incompetent and placed in a mental institution, against her wishes.
Claudia is appointed a court-appointed attorney, Aaron Levinsky (played by Richard Dreyfuss), who is initially skeptical about her story but gradually comes to believe that she is telling the truth. However, Claudia is very distrustful of everyone around her, including Levinsky, and is highly disruptive during her court hearings.
As the trial progresses, Claudia's past is brought to light, including her traumatic childhood and her previous stints in mental institutions. Levinsky's efforts to defend her are complicated by her distrust and her history of mental illness, as well as by the fact that she is openly contemptuous of the court and the legal system.
Nuts is a highly charged and emotionally intense film that explores issues of power, privilege, and the failures of the justice system. Streisand's performance is widely regarded as one of her best, and the film is noted for its frank and compassionate portrayal of mental illness and the struggles of marginalized individuals within the legal system.