Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
A prim and proper schoolgirl goes against her society grandmother's wishes when she dates a motorcycle-riding juvenile delinquent.
John Waters' affectionate parody of 1950s teen rebel films and Elvis musicals is a genuinely singular piece of work — campy, knowing, and bursting with Waters' unmistakable subversive sensibility. Johnny Depp delivers a charismatic star turn and the ensemble is packed with eccentric performers including Iggy Pop and Traci Lords. The cinematography captures the period pastiche with colorful, glossy energy. Novelty is high because no one else could have made this film quite this way — it occupies a unique space between sincere homage and gleeful send-up. However, the plot is deliberately thin and recycled (that's part of the joke), and the ending wraps up in a rushed, formulaic fashion even by parody standards, somewhat undermining the satirical bite it built up.