A Dirty Shame

A Dirty Shame (2004)

  • 53% of critics liked it
    (115 reviews)

  • 49% of users liked it
    (11,950 ratings)

America's leading titan of bad taste, John Waters, returns to X-rated territory (well, actually NC-17-rated territory, but you get the idea) for this wildly over-the-top comedy. Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman) is a wife and mother living in Baltimore who, along with her husband Vaughn (Chris Isaak)… More

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R, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By
John Waters
Written By
John Waters
Genres
Comedy
In Theaters
Sep 24, 2004 Limited
On DVD
Jun 14, 2005
New Line Cinema

Critic Reviews

  • James Berardinelli, ReelViews

    The story is trite and uninteresting. And the humor is only occasionally funny, and that's largely because it's almost impossible not to be impressed by Tracey Ullman's manic energy.

  • Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

    Makes sex seem the least exciting thing in the world. And that's a dirty shame, indeed.

  • Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

    ... you can have an open mind and hate this movie because I good well hated this movie.

  • Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

    [Waters] hasn't let slick technique take over as has Hollywood, and he retains his radical sensibility and his willingness to go where others haven't.

  • Peter Howell, Toronto Star

    Ray-Ray says it best: 'It's like Noah's Ark around here; there's one of every perversion. Alas, it's all been done.'

Read all 13 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Lucas M


    Waters try to make this film a extremely funny and dirty. The thing is: he transform A Dirty Shame in a very silly movie. However, still commit some laughs.

  • Michael G


    A Dirty Shame is the perfect title for this movie. Its got all the random, demented, kitschy and riotous humor that most John Waters movies have. I won't lie when I say I was laughing uncontrollably and obnoxiously for the first 45 minutes of this movie. Unfortunately A Dirty… More

  • Spencer S


    The film as a whole has all the uninteresting raunch you'd expect with a John Waters film, but the mere fact that this isn't a shell shocked nation, and Divine isn't drag queening it up made an unimpressive impact. That the film has a NC-17 rating probably drew in some… More

  • _kelly .


    As part of my movies with sexual themes series, I am reviewing/watching all of John Waters' work. This is the one that got an NC-17 after the MPAA review board had to compile a list of believed sexual acts that the board was unfamiliar with that they wished Mr. Waters to explain… More

  • Lafe F


    John Waters' absurd plot of characters being hit on the head and losing their sexual inhibitions so they'll act out their deepest desires -- which was cartoonish and hard to believe. Some of the fetishes were rare. It's hard to find the unrated version at Blockbuster. I… More

Read all 11 featured audience ratings

Cast

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Trailers & Clips

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