Despite its fun-sounding title, “Dirty Girl” is a self-pitying find-yourself story about a gay teen (Jeremy Dozier) who joins a slutty classmate (Juno Temple) to flee his dad and search for hers.
Set in 1980s Oklahoma, the movie initially goes for a John Waters feel, relying heavily on snarky camp humor (equally outrageous costumes and accents) as the title character rolls her eyes at the lameness of everything. She is meant to be a freewheeling charmer but instead comes across as merely bitchy and annoying. “If you’re not careful, you’re gonna wind up one of those overweight homos with no one to love you but a gerbil named Bruce” is a typical line. She and the gay lad gradually become inseparable, especially when she buys him the services of a male hooker in a scene that is meant to be achingly romantic.
The third act is taken up entirely with boo-hooing and hugging. It culminates in a double simultaneous epic failure to match that of the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox: The two principals get onstage at a talent show to sing an excruciating, would-be “moving” rendition of “Don’t Cry Out Loud.” Sorry, but if your sensibility is pure trashy camp, don’t expect anyone not to laugh when you try to be earnest.