A Dirty Shame
One thing John Waters has never been accused of is subtlety. In A Dirty Shame, another in a long line of his patented over-the-top comedies, the eccentric director takes on the histrionics of the Moral Majority when it comes to people's private sex lives. It's an absurd, outrageous and slightly stupid comedy which boasts enough good jokes to stick with it once you start watching, but not nearly enough to recommend it. Waters has a fair point to make: What people do in the privacy of their homes or around like-minded individuals is nobody else's business, but those same people shouldn't force their lifestyle on those who want nothing to do with it. Unfortunately, his style of satire is so heavy-handed that you feel like you've sustained one of the plot's signature head injuries, only with none of the positive side effects. We get the point, John, but A Dirty Shame just isn't funny enough to accomplish what should have been its first priority—entertainment.
- December 14, 2008
DVD Extras
The somewhat long featurette about the making of A Dirty Shame is better (and funnier) than the movie. It includes discussions about all the hilariously seedy research that went into the script and a bittersweet reminiscence of Waters' past films by the few surviving members of his Baltimore acting and production troupe, Dreamlanders. Also included is the original theatrical trailer.