Bootleg Betty
26 Years Ago Today, Bette Midler’s ‘Drowning Mona’ Movie Was Released
March 3, 2026
Drowning Mona is a 2000 American crime comedy (often described as a dark comedy or black comedy) directed by Nick Gomez. It was released theatrically on March 3, 2000, in the United States (with some earlier limited releases noted in places like Puerto Rico in January). The film runs approximately 96 minutes (1 hour 36 minutes) and is rated PG-13.
Plot Overview
The story is set in the small town of Verplanck, New York. It centers on the death of Mona Dearly (played by Bette Midler), a spiteful, abusive, hard-drinking, loud-mouthed woman universally hated by everyone who knows her—including her family and neighbors. Early in the film, Mona drives her son’s car off a cliff/road into the Hudson River (or a river), where she drowns. What initially appears as an accident quickly reveals signs of sabotage (multiple tampering with the brakes and other parts), turning it into a murder investigation.
Local police chief Wyatt Rash (Danny DeVito) leads the probe. Because Mona was so despised, virtually the entire town becomes a suspect—everyone had a motive. The narrative unfolds with flashbacks, quirky small-town characters, misunderstandings, and comedic mishaps as the inept investigation uncovers secrets and red herrings. It has a “whodunit” structure reminiscent of ensemble mysteries, but with a dark, irreverent humor tone. In the end, resolutions involve marriages, arrests, and the town’s oddball dynamics.
Main Cast
Bette Midler as Mona Dearly (the victim, seen mostly in flashbacks as she dies early on)
Danny DeVito as Chief Wyatt Rash
Neve Campbell as Ellen “Ellie” Rash (the chief’s daughter)
Jamie Lee Curtis as Rona Mace
Casey Affleck as Bobby Calzone
William Fichtner as Phil Dearly (Mona’s husband)
Supporting roles include Will Ferrell, Melissa McCarthy (in early roles), and others like Tracey Walter.
Reception and Performance
The film received mostly negative reviews from critics, who often called it flat, spiritless, or a waste of a talented cast despite some funny moments and outrageous situations. It holds low ratings (around 5.7/10 on IMDb and poor scores on Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic). It grossed about $15.9 million worldwide against a $16 million budget, making it a modest box-office underperformer.
Trivia
* Mona Dearly is an anagram for “only a dream.”
* The film references the fictional “Fetzer valve” (a made-up car part from the 1985 movie Fletch). In the story, mechanic Lucinda mentions the “Fetzer valve” being punctured as part of the sabotage evidence—it’s a deliberate nod/easter egg to that comedy.
* Mona dies very early (within the first few minutes), which is unusual as one of the main characters is killed off quickly, with her personality shown through flashbacks and others’ recollections.
* There are some noted continuity goofs, like the coroner being neck-deep in water initially but dry from the waist up later, or a gas cap left on a car roof.
* The movie features early appearances by future stars like Will Ferrell and Melissa McCarthy in smaller roles.
* Bette Midler is known for chewing up the screen in her over-the-top, abrasive portrayal of Mona in the flashback scenes.
It’s a quirky, underrated-by-some cult dark comedy that plays on small-town absurdity and “everyone hated her” tropes, but it didn’t land strongly with audiences or critics at the time of release.
