How to rate a turd? For make no mistake about it, this movie is a very bad and trashy one but at least the movie makes no illusions about being something more.
That's the one main thing John Waters and his movies often have going for them. He's not being pretentious about anything and he doesn't claim his movies are some sort of higher art form, that you have to understand to appreciate. He relishes in the fact that his movies are just about the trashiest movies imaginable and he also exploits this very well. The crazier, the better, in his case and it certainly gives his movies a certain charm as well as a very distinctive style to them.
But just because it does its very own thing so very well, I still can't call this movie a very good one as well. The acting is absolutely atrocious (though Divine is still pretty good in her own right), the plot lines are totally nonsensical and the movie just seems to take place in its very own unearthly world, with its own rules of logic, morals and justice. Once you get sucked into this world, it becomes a pretty enjoyable watch, though there is just no way I can say that this movie ever becomes a great one, in any way or form.
The main goal of the movie seems to be that it wants to shock- and gross out, for as much as possible. It does so by inserting a whole bunch of controversial subjects and characters and by often being very graphic. Not with any violence in this case but with sexual orientated themes and some graphic nudity instead. Also, it's an independent movie, so it doesn't play by any of the 'rules' of the studios. This means it also has lots of foul language and it didn't cut anything. Every crazy and dirty idea the film-makers come up with ended up in this movie, no matter if it actually served a purpose for its main story or not. It provides the movie with some strong moments, as well as with some very disgusting (the movie is pretty notorious for it) and absolutely pointless ones. So actually some stuff works well but most falls flat unfortunately.
The movie clearly got made on a shoestring budget, which shows with its camera-work, sound quality and editing and stuff. It's however not as bad or distracting as you may fear and it certainly adds to the trashy and simplistic approach that the movie is going for. It enhances the movie its atmosphere and adds to its charm. I'm actually convinced of it that I would have absolutely hated this movie if it featured the same story and actors in it but had a far more slick and deliberate look and feeling to it.
So as far as trashy cinema goes; this movie is somewhat decent and enjoyable for what it is but just don't mistake it for a good movie!
5/10
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