Dirty Girl (2010 film)

Last updated

Dirty Girl
Dirty Girl (2010 film).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAbe Sylvia
Written byAbe Sylvia
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySteve Gainer
Edited byJonathan Lucas
Music by Jeff Toyne
Production
companies
  • iDeal Partners
  • Hart/Lunsford Pictures
  • Cherry Sky Films
  • The Salt Company
  • Paris Films
Distributed by The Weinstein Company
Release dates
  • September 12, 2010 (2010-09-12)(TIFF)
  • October 7, 2011 (2011-10-07)(United States)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4 million [1]
Box office$143,485 [2]

Dirty Girl is a 2010 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Abe Sylvia. It stars Juno Temple, Milla Jovovich, William H. Macy, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam, and Jeremy Dozier. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2010, [3] and received a limited theatrical release in the United States on October 7, 2011, by The Weinstein Company. [4] [5]

Contents

Plot

In 1987 in suburban Oklahoma City, Danielle Edmondston is a troubled and promiscuous high school student. She argues with her mother, Sue-Ann, who is about to marry a Mormon, Ray, and feels out of place in her very conservative small suburban town. Amidst the chaos, she befriends Clarke Walters, a shy, gay classmate. Together, they flee in a car owned by Clarke's homophobic father, Joseph, and embark on a road trip to Fresno, California, where Danielle expects to find her birth father, Danny Briggs. Meanwhile, Sue-Ann and Clarke's mother, Peggy, chase after them.

Joseph breaks into Danielle's house in an attempt to find Clarke, only to find that the entire family has gone on vacation. Joseph is then arrested for breaking into the house. He calls Peggy to bail him out, but Peggy refuses to let him out and insists that she will no longer allow him to harm Clarke for being gay. Joseph, aggravated, has to stay in the cell until a judge can see him.

On the way, Danielle and Clarke pick up a hitchhiker named Joel, who after they stop for rest, has sex with Clarke. Clarke awakens the next morning to find that he is gone, leaving him heartbroken. Clarke blames Danielle for this. After seemingly moving on and returning to the car, it breaks down on the side of the road. Clarke and Danielle continue on foot, trying to rent a car, only to find Joseph has been released from prison and has reported their credit card stolen. Desperate for money, the two enter a bar and Danielle enters a stripping contest. After she is booed profusely, Clarke realizes that it is a biker gay bar. Danielle tells him he must strip instead.

Clarke is cheered as he dances, but is caught by Joseph who enters during this. Danielle collects the prize money, but they are both taken in Joseph's other car. Clarke provokes his father into pulling the car over to attack him, while he tells Danielle to flee. Danielle manages to make it to a bus station, upset having to had to leave Clarke behind. She finds her father's house, where she is met by her mother, who asks her to leave. Danielle manages to make it to her father, who kindly rejects her, revealing he has a young daughter.

Despondent, Danielle returns home and visits Clarke's mother, who tells her that Clarke's father has sent him to military school and has moved into an apartment. Danielle enters the talent show and sings "Don't Cry Out Loud" by Melissa Manchester, who is Clarke's favorite singer. As she breaks down singing, Clarke enters dressed in a military uniform. They finish the song together and get into Danielle's car. Clarke reveals that his mother let him out early and that, in an all-boys school, he became very popular, with some sexual implications, at the same school Clarke also learned how to better defend himself against his abusive father, whom his mother finally decided to divorce after getting fed up with his cruel and controlling behavior. Danielle, with a less rebellious attitude, and Clarke, now no longer afraid to be himself, drive off into the sunset.

Cast

Production

Abe Sylvia developed the story in 2004 while attending UCLA. Sylvia describes it as a fictional account of "growing up in the 1980s" that draws upon some of his adolescent experiences in Oklahoma. [6] [7]

Sally Hawkins and Lisa Kudrow were originally cast in November 2009. [8] Jovovich subsequently replaced Hawkins in the role of Sue-Ann, and Mary Steenburgen replaced Kudrow in the role of Peggy.

Filming began in Southern California, in 2010 and was completed in Los Angeles in May 2010. [6]

Reception

The film grossed $143,485 worldwide against an estimated budget of $4 million. [1] [2]

Dirty Girl received mostly negative critical reviews. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 35% based on 40 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10. [9] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 37 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews. [10]

In The New York Times , A. O. Scott declared that he found himself cheering not for the main characters on their road trip, but for the actors Temple and Dozier who were doing their best to salvage a chaotic script that "has far less insight, and much less panache, than a randomly chosen episode of Glee ." [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Love Finds Andy Hardy</i> 1938 film by George B. Seitz

Love Finds Andy Hardy is a 1938 American romantic comedy film that tells the story of a teenage boy who becomes entangled with three different girls all at the same time. It stars Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker, Judy Garland, Lana Turner, Ann Rutherford, Mary Howard and Gene Reynolds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Steenburgen</span> American actress (born 1953)

Mary Nell Steenburgen is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s, she made her professional acting debut in the Western comedy film Goin' South (1978). Steenburgen went on to earn critical acclaim for her role in Time After Time (1979) and Jonathan Demme's comedy-drama film Melvin and Howard (1980), for which she received the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milla Jovovich</span> American actress (born 1975)

Milica Bogdanovna Jovović, known professionally as Milla Jovovich, is an American actress and former fashion model. Her starring roles in numerous science-fiction and action films led the music channel VH1 to deem her the "reigning queen of kick-butt" in 2006. In 2004, Forbes determined that she was the highest-paid model in the world.

<i>Sybil</i> (1976 film) 1976 film directed by Daniel Petrie

Sybil is a 1976 two-part, 3+14-hour American made-for-television film starring Sally Field and Joanne Woodward. It is based on the book of the same name, and it was broadcast on NBC on November 14–15, 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Queen Victoria</span> Fictional pub in the television series EastEnders

The Queen Victoria is the Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Mitchell</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy. Phil was one of the major characters introduced by executive producer Michael Ferguson, who wanted to bring in some macho male leads. Phil and his brother Grant became popularly known as the Mitchell brothers in the British media, with Phil initially portrayed as the more level-headed of the two thugs. Storylines featuring the Mitchell family dominated the soap opera throughout the 1990s, with Phil serving as one of the show's central characters and protagonists since the 1990s. McFadden temporarily left the series in late 2003, then returned in April 2005 for a brief appearance before making a permanent return in October 2005, and has now overtaken Dot Cotton as the second-longest-serving character in EastEnders, surpassed only by original character Ian Beale. A teenage version of Phil, played by Daniel Delaney, appeared in a flashback episode broadcast on 5 September 2022, which focuses on the Mitchell family in the 1970s.

<i>Rita, Sue and Bob Too</i> 1986 British film by Alan Clarke

Rita, Sue and Bob Too is a 1987 British comedy-drama film directed by Alan Clarke and starring Michelle Holmes, Siobhan Finneran, George Costigan, and Lesley Sharp. Set in Bradford, West Yorkshire, the film is about two teenage schoolgirls who have a sexual affair with and are seduced by a married man. It was written by Andrea Dunbar, who adapted the film from two of her stage plays: Rita Sue and Bob Too (1982) and The Arbour (1980), which were first performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London. The plays were loosely based on Dunbar's experiences growing up in the council housing at Buttershaw.

<i>The Dead Girl</i> 2006 film by Karen Moncrieff

The Dead Girl is a 2006 American drama thriller film written and directed by Karen Moncrieff, starring Brittany Murphy, Toni Collette, Rose Byrne and Marcia Gay Harden. The film was nominated for several 2007 Independent Spirit Awards including Best Feature and Best Director. It is the story of a young woman's death and the people linked to her murder. It also features Mary Beth Hurt, Kerry Washington, James Franco, Giovanni Ribisi, Josh Brolin, Mary Steenburgen and Piper Laurie. The film was premiered at the AFI Film Festival, and was given a limited US theatrical release on 29 December 2006. It was generally well received. It only ran for two weeks in US first-run theaters, and earned nearly all its revenue from overseas release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juno Temple</span> British actress (born 1989)

Juno Temple is an English actress. She is known for her roles in the comedy series Ted Lasso (2020–2023) and in the fifth season of the crime drama series Fargo (2023–2024). She earned Primetime Emmy Award nominations for both as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination for the latter.

<i>Thuis</i> Belgian television soap opera series

Thuis is a Belgian television soap opera, which airs on VRT 1, which is in the hands of VRT, the national broadcasting channel of the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, Flanders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Mitchell</span> UK soap opera character, created 2007

Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007. Ronnie is described as the "ice" to Roxy's "fire". As an extension to the already established Mitchell family, Ronnie quickly became a prominent character, taking over the square’s local nightclub. She later formed an on-off relationship with her business partner, Jack Branning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archie Mitchell</span> UK soap opera character, created 2008

Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb. He first appeared on 8 July 2008 as a newest member of the Mitchell family—who had first appeared on the soap in 1990—and became the show's main antagonist until the character was killed-off on Christmas Day 2009; with Archie making his last appearance as a corpse on 28 December 2009 and later serving as a posthumous impact throughout the majority of 2010, which involves making a brief voice appearance on 19 July 2010 on a family video tape overheard by his ex-wife Glenda and their two daughters Ronnie and Roxy respectively.

<i>The Keys of the Kingdom</i> (film) 1944 film by John M. Stahl

The Keys of the Kingdom is a 1944 American film based on the 1941 novel The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin. The film was adapted by Nunnally Johnson, directed by John M. Stahl, and produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. It stars Gregory Peck, Thomas Mitchell, and Vincent Price, and tells the story of the trials and tribulations of a Roman Catholic priest who goes to China to evangelise.

Get Hep to Love is a 1942 musical film starring Gloria Jean, Donald O'Connor, Jane Frazee, Robert Paige and Peggy Ryan. The film was directed by Charles Lamont.

The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the UK soap opera EastEnders. They were first introduced in February 1990, when brothers Phil and Grant Mitchell bought the local garage, the Arches. Their sister Sam was introduced later in 1990, and their mother Peggy shortly after in 1991, before being reintroduced as a regular character in 1994, with the role recast to Barbara Windsor. Since then, the family has been significantly expanded to include both the immediate and extended families. Phil has been the longest running Mitchell on the show, and the family has expanded significantly in the years since, remaining a large presence on the square.

The War Bride is a 2001 drama film directed by Lyndon Chubbuck and written by Angela Workman. It is a Canadian–British co-production.

<i>Little Mary Sunshine</i> (1916 film) 1916 film by Henry King

Little Mary Sunshine is a 1916 silent movie directed by Henry King.

References

  1. 1 2 Longwell, Todd (July 28, 2011). "As tiers go buy". Variety . Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Dirty Girl (2010)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  3. Brijbassi, Adrian (September 8, 2010). "TIFF film tips include these 5 travel movies". Toronto Star . Archived from the original on April 8, 2011.
  4. Thompson, Anne; Lange, Maggie (July 2, 2011). "New Dirty Girl Edit Hits U.S. October 7, Stars Dark Knight Rises' Juno Temple". IndieWire . Archived from the original on July 5, 2011.
  5. Kay, Jeremy (September 13, 2010). "Weinsteins take US, UK and multiple territories on Dirty Girl" . Screen Daily . Archived from the original on November 17, 2015.
  6. 1 2 Brooks, Brian; Renninger, Bryce (June 10, 2010). "In the Works: 'Dirty Girl,' Teenage Magellan, Anti-Coal Granny, Serbian Brass Fest, Women in Rodeo". IndieWire. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  7. Cieply, Michael (September 10, 2010). "In Vastness of Toronto, Small Films Take Root" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on March 27, 2019.
  8. Kemp, Stuart (November 24, 2009). "Four join cast of Abe Sylvia's 'Dirty Girl'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  9. "Dirty Girl". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  10. "Dirty Girl". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  11. Scott, A. O. (October 6, 2011). "A Pair of Adolescent Outcasts Hit the Road in Search of Freedom and a Father" . The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2012.