"A Dirty Shame" is Filthy Farce

A typically understated moment in "A Dirty Shame"

I haven't spent much time delving into the works of John Waters, mostly because his brand of hideous movie is deliberately so.

He also has enough clout to afford something by way of production values, a luxury not enjoyed by the auteurs of most CACA classics.

In the world of "A Dirty Shame," concussion causes hypersexuality in ordinary citizens, including housewife Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman).

And there's an entire underground of mega perverts, just waiting to break free of the shackles of convention.

We're talking onanists, mad dookifiers, baby fetishists, plate dancers, and whatever else the fevered imagination of Mr. Waters can summon.

It's funny, up to a point. Then it turns into a weird variation on the sort of film where all the cool people dance around and have a great time, like "School of Rock."

High points: Caprice Stickles (Selma Blair), aka "Ursula Udders," and her two assets. Sylvia picking up a bottle with a delicate portion of her anatomy while dancing the Hokey Pokey. Ray Ray (Johnny Knoxville) doing his Bruce Campbell imitation while uttering the film's theme — "Let's Go Sexing!"

Low points: Ham-handed attempts at satire and social commentary, and the fourth (or fifth) repetition of "Let's Go Sexing!"

Terrific soundtrack, by the way. Somebody went and found every dirty song released since 1948 for this one.

Three coils.