Polyester
Seen it?1981 | 86 min | Comedy
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (93% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Raising Arizona or Female Trouble, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Provocative satire that goes after everyone.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 26 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: expect drug use.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Blessed with a keen sense of smell and cursed with a philandering pornographer husband, a parasitic mother, and a pair of delinquent children, the long-suffering Francine Fishpaw turns to the bottle as her life falls apart -- until deliverance appears in the form of a hunk named Todd Tomorrow. Originally screened with "Odorama" scratch and sniff cards so the audience could (at their own risk) smell along with the film.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
93% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.0 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$1 million worldwide on a $300K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 80K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by John Waters
- DivineFrancine Fishpaw
- Tab HunterTodd Tomorrow
- Edith MasseyCuddles Kovinsky
- David SamsonElmer Fishpaw
- Mary GarlingtonLu-Lu Fishpaw
- Ken KingDexter Fishpaw
- Mink StoleSandra Sullivan
- Joni Ruth WhiteLa Rue
- Hans KrammHeintz
- Stiv BatorsBo-Bo Belsinger