The Real 'Juno'

zardoz-13

Freshman writer & director Abe Sylvia has created the memorable as well as entertaining road picture "Dirty Girl," about a teenage high school student who hit's the highway in search of the father that she never knew. Danielle (Juno Temple) gets herself in trouble when she opens her foul mouth in class and lands feet first in the principal's office. The time is 1987 and Danielle is the kind of girl who doesn't get picked up, but who picks up. She has her three D system: discriminate (choose), designate (make herself look sexy) and dump (get rid of them after the dirty deed). Naturally, she is considered the school slut and her amorous activities get her send to do time with the misfits at the school. Sylvia deals with dozens of relevant themes: parenthood, masculinity, love, courage, and abortion. Mrs. Hatcher, who teaches the outcasts' class comes up with a typical school exercise about parenting. She assigns couples and furnishes each with a five pound bag of flour that they are suppose to treat like their offspring. Mrs. Hatcher pairs a reclusive young man, Clarke (Jeremy Dozier) to share the parental duties with Danielle. Of course, Danielle displays nothing but disgust for her gay partner. Nevertheless, as time progresses, she comes to see him as a person rather than a sexual deviation. Meanwhile, Clarke's evil father Joseph (Dwight Yoakam of "Sling Blade") suspects that his portly son may be gay and sends him to chiropractor for analysis. Actually, Joseph is right; Clarke is a flamer with cause. Initially, Danielle and Clarke are at odds until she decides to stand up for him. Unfortunately, Clarke's mother Peggy (Mary Steenburgen of "Time After Time") discovers the truth when she is making up Clarke's bed and finds gay pornographic pin-up pictures.

By this time, Danielle has grown disgusted with her own mom, Sue-Ann (Milla Jovovich of "The Fourth Kind"), particularly when she plans to marry Ray (William H. Macy of "Fargo") and live with him and his daughter and son. Danielle refuses to have anything to do with Ray and company and Ray takes away the car keys to her Mustang and they leave her to starve for the weekend. Clarke shows up with plastic and the two dine on Chinese food. Danielle shows Clarke a picture of the man that she suspects is her long lost father and they hit the road in Clarke's father car to drive for Fresno. Juno Temple is a knock-out! This is neither a bad scene nor a bad performance in this celebration of life, love, and diversity. Sylvia never wears out his welcome and "Dirty Girl" ripples with energy and charisma. The story about two misfits who find strength in each other and dare to take on the world is inspirational. Some of the subject matter may not be the stuff of traditional romances. No, Danielle doesn't make a straight guy out of Clarke. Sylvia blends comedy with tragedy adeptly. One of the funniest scenes finds out protagonists afoot in the middle of nowhere after Joseph has recovered his car. Danielle hears about a strippers dance contest and decides that it is the only way for Clarke and her to get money so they can resume their trip. The site of the contest is a Southern Comfort style bar with a rebel flag and rednecks galore. Danielle starts her act while Clarke hangs out back by the bar and watches her. About half way into her act, Danielle realizes that her seductive charms aren't having their usual impact. Earlier, the bartender had warned her that Jade has never lost a strip contest. Clarke discovers that Jade is really a bare-chested guy and he warns Danielle that they are in a gay bar. Clarke climbs on stage, performs a strip tease and wins the $50 that Danielle and he need to continue their journey. "Dirty Girl" isn't really a dirty movie despite its questionable subject matter. The soundtrack thrives with several chartbusters from the 198os. A must see for the indie crowd.

score 10/10

zardoz-13 10 February 2012

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2564050/