A Dirty Shame / Me And You And Everyone We Know

A DIRTY SHAME (2004)

Directed by: John Waters
Written by: John Waters

It’s been about a year since I’ve seen Kinsey, but it seems like the small wave that that movie caused (which should have been MUCH bigger) is still being felt in theatres today. It’s a wave that our current administration would rather we just kind of forget about. But, see, this wave started back in the 40s. And why should it stop. Kinsey (the movie and the man) taught us that the phrase “sexual perversion” probably shouldn’t exist. Everyone has their own kind of “perversion.” Whether it’s foot, poop or just blondes, there’s really not a sex act that hasn’t been tried. There isn’t even one that’s not enjoyed by someone out there. And, if we were a truly enlightened society, we would just say, “To each his/her own.” But we have to shut these people down and make them hide away. Sometimes it turns these folks into criminals. There’s no telling how many people are in jail for performing some sex act that they enjoy and, even though they weren’t hurting anyone else, they are now locked away “for the good of the community.” And now they’re learning how to be real criminals in jail. Thanks, guys. That’s really “for the good of the community.”

John Waters has been fighting this way of thinking since his first movie back in 1969 and especially since Pink Flamingos in 1972. He’s kind of lost his way in the past few years (did anyone see Cecil B. Demented? Not so good.), but I think he’s getting back on track with his latest, out on video now.

Sylvia (Tracy Ullman) is a prude. She says things like, “It’s broad daylight, for Chrissakes!” to her husband (Chris Isaak). Their daughter, Caprice (Selma Blair with some HUGE prosthetics stuck to her chest), is a dancer at a titty bar who is currently under house arrest for lewd behavior. Sylvia’s mom, Big Ethel (Suzanne Shepherd), is heading up a decency rally with her friend Marge (Mink Stole, who is about the only Waters regular from the old days still alive).

Ray Ray (Johnny Knoxville, slowly becoming an actual actor) is a local sex guru. More to the point, he’s a sex Jesus. He leads a group of sex addict apostles to the promised land of perfect sex. As long as they don’t hurt anybody else, they can do whatever they want under his watch.

When Sylvia is hit on the head one morning, she becomes the 12th Apostle. It’s her job to find a new fetish that will lead everyone to the highest orgasm ever experienced. The problem is, everything’s been done before.

The movie becomes a fight between the Neuters (Big Ethel and her crew) and the sex addicts. And, of course, the sex addicts are the normal ones in this story. Because, really, who do sex addicts hurt? When was the last time a sex addict raped anyone? They just want sex, not power.

The movie itself is probably Waters’ best movie in a long, long time. It’s certainly his most inflammatory since before Polyester, which is probably why it got an NC-17 rating. (The MPAA said that if they cut everything out that was objectionable for an R rating, the movie would be 10 minutes long. Time to get a new ratings system!) It’s John’s way of telling the rest of the Christian/Right/Republican “majority” to go fuck off and leave the rest of us alone. Let us be normal instead of repressed assholes like yourselves. And fucking lighten up!

Watch for new Waters stalwart Patricia Hearst (yes, THAT Patty Hearst), James Ransone (the auto-erotic asphyxiation kid from Ken Park) and Jackie Hoffman, the woman who gave Andrew Largeman that famous shirt in Garden State. You’ll never see her the same again.

ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW (2005)

Directed by: Miranda July
Written by: Miranda July
Based on book by:

Miranda July isn’t quite as “offensive” as Mr. Waters, but she has her moments and she obviously has some of the same feelings towards the little differences that we all have.

Richard (John Hawkes from Identity) is having a really bad life. His wife just left him for another man and he has joint custody of his two boys, Peter and Robby (Miles Thompson and Brandon Ratcliff). 14 year old Peter is learning about sex from two neighborhood girls who want to know who gives a better blowjob. 7 year old Robby is learning about it on the internet. He’s been talking to a woman who is interested in his supposed poop fetish.

Meanwhile, Christine (July) is trying to get her art into a local gallery without much luck. It’s really weird art that involves video, snapshots and overdubbed sound. She’s an elder cab driver who has gotten pretty close to some of her clients. (No, not THAT close. Sicko.) She wants to get closer to Richard, but he’s being very distant. He just knows that he’ll do something weird and screw things up.

The themes of sex and love are dealt with pretty well, but I was a little bit disturbed by the whole 7 year old chatting in sex rooms aspect. The conclusion of that storyline is kind of weird, but it also kind of makes sense in a way.

It’s a very uncomfortable movie to watch, but it’s very funny and well written. Then it turns serious and involving at just the right time.

With her debut film, Miranda July is already turning in a good performance and directorial effort. I just hope that a major studio doesn’t try to make her compromise her vision. It’s on the verge of becoming an important vision.

Now, go rent Kinsey and A Dirty Shame. And when you’re done with that, go to the theatre and support Miranda’s movie. You’ll be glad you did. And maybe you’ll even become a little bit more enlightened about sex and its inherent weirdness in the process.