A Dirty Shame

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A Dirty Shame ★★ 2004 (NC-17)

Outrageously tasteless fare has Waters back in familiar Baltimore territory with angry and repressed Sylvia Stickles (Ullman), who runs a convenience store with unfulfilled hubby Vaughn (Isaak). Their daughter Caprice (Blair) is locked in her room so she can't continue her career as a topless dancer. Sylvia suffers a concussion in a car crash and goes nympho—joining a cult of sex addicts led by local sexual healer Ray-Ray (Knoxville). Suddenly, their quiet blue-collar neighborhood is under siege from fetish freaks! It's all low-rent and tawdry exaggeration with a flimsy plot. It doesn't quite work, but then Waters has never let slick technique interfere with his fun. 89m/C DVD . US Tracey Ullman, Johnny Knoxville, Selma Blair, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Shepherd, Mink Stole, Patty (Patricia Campbell) Hearst, Jackie Hoffman; Cameos: Ricki Lake, David Hasselhoff; D: John Waters; W: John Waters; C: Steve Gainer; M: George S. Clinton.