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A Dirty Shame

Play trailer Poster for A Dirty Shame NC-17 Released Sep 12, 2004 1h 29m Comedy LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
55% Tomatometer 113 Reviews 51% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman) runs a convenience store with her husband (Chris Isaak) and mother-in-law (Suzanne Shepherd). One day, Sylvia is hit on the head and transforms from an uptight prude to a sex-crazed lunatic. As she goes on a rampage through town, Sylvia attracts the attention of Ray Ray (Johnny Knoxville), a sexual healer and tow truck driver in search of the world's greatest orgasm. Their sexual revolution, however, causes a class war in their tiny Baltimore community.
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A Dirty Shame

A Dirty Shame

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Critics Consensus

John Waters casts his provocative eye toward libido in a sex satire that won't leave audiences feeling too Dirty, but this sophomoric farce doesn't strike a nerve like his best work -- a real Shame.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek This exercise in bad taste is the Dawn of the Dead of nymphomania. Never mean-spirited, A Dirty Shame has some big laughs, but it's a one-joke movie that shows its strain well before the finish line. Mar 13, 2018 Full Review Marc Savlov Austin Chronicle A genuine cri de couer in the director's long-running battle against the forces of censorship and a banal societal (and cinematic) status quo. Rated: 3.5/5 Oct 19, 2004 Full Review Glenn Kenny Premiere Magazine A welcome reminder that sex is sometimes too ridiculous to take so seriously. Rated: 3/4 Oct 6, 2004 Full Review Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review Rated: 1/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Waters has made a resolutely unsexy sex comedy, but he hasn't left out the comedy. Rated: B+ Jul 30, 2007 Full Review Christopher Smith Bangor Daily News (Maine) No shame here. Rated: B Nov 18, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Michael C I'm a lifelong John Waters fan and so I knew what to expect. This movie is trashy in the best possible way. Lots of bawdy humor and a star studded cast. See it just for the "Bears" 😂 Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/24 Full Review kirby p Reminder to self: Never see another Waters movie. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review andrew k If you don't like John Water movies, don't go anywhere near this one. And Hairspray alone doesn't count. If you legitimately love John waters movies, this one will be a lot of fun. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member What a perverted movie. I thought this would be a satirical comedy about you know, perverted stuff but instead we got a kinda low budget spoof movie with pure cringe. Like when the main girl hits her head she turns into a crazy you know fiend. It's funny at first but it got old quick. Selma Blair is in this and she's funny but what's the reason for you know. Anyway in the end this movie is dumb and personally I'm not a fan. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Possibly one of the worst films ever made. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member A Weirdly funny and cheeky sex satire. Must-see for John Waters fans. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Read all reviews
A Dirty Shame

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Cast & Crew

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John Waters

Director

Tracey Ullman

Sylvia Stickles

Johnny Knoxville

Ray-Ray

Selma Blair

Caprice Stickles

Chris Isaak

Vaughn Stickles

Suzanne Shepherd

Big Ethel

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A Dirty Shame

Tracey Ullman (L), Chris Isaak (R) in "A Dirty Shame". Johnny Knoxville in "A Dirty Shame". Selma Blair in "A Dirty Shame". Chris Isaak in "A Dirty Shame". Tracey Ullman in "A Dirty Shame". ohn Waters, Director of "A Dirty Shame". View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman) runs a convenience store with her husband (Chris Isaak) and mother-in-law (Suzanne Shepherd). One day, Sylvia is hit on the head and transforms from an uptight prude to a sex-crazed lunatic. As she goes on a rampage through town, Sylvia attracts the attention of Ray Ray (Johnny Knoxville), a sexual healer and tow truck driver in search of the world's greatest orgasm. Their sexual revolution, however, causes a class war in their tiny Baltimore community.
Director
John Waters
Producer
Ted Hope
Screenwriter
John Waters
Distributor
New Line Cinema
Production Co
Killer Films, This Is That Productions, City Lights Pictures
Rating
NC-17 (Perverse Sexual Content)
Genre
Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 12, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.3M
Runtime
1h 29m
Sound Mix
Surround, DTS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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