Polyester

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Polyester

R

1981

1h 26m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

A frustrated housewife, Francine Fishpaw (Divine), tries to maintain her sanity while taking care of her dysfunctional household. Elmer (David Samson), her husband and the owner of an adult theater, is sleeping with his secretary, and her delinquent teen son, Dexter (Ken King), and pregnant teen daughter, Lulu (Mary Garlington), aren't helping matters any. But when Francine meets dashing Todd Tomorrow (Tab Hunter), the owner of a theater specializing in art films, her life appears rosier.

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Critics Consensus

As proudly tacky as its titular fabric, Polyester finds writer-director John Waters moving ever so slightly into the mainstream without losing any of his subversive charm.

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Variety Staff

Variety

09/12/2008

A fitfully amusing comedy of not so ordinary people.

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Derek Adams

Time Out

02/09/2006

OK, so it's not The Cherry Orchard, but who could resist a film where a massive drive-in billboard proclaims 'Now showing - Three Great Marguerite Duras Hits'?

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

05/04/2005

B

Stinks in all the right ways.

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

12/27/2022

Polyester isn’t one of his best; the midnight movie sensations Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble, as well as later mainstream hit Hairspray, hold up better. Still, it is a lot of fun.

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

08/30/2022

B

Not nearly as gross as Waters’ previous outings (when Francine has to puke, she does it discreetly into her purse), but still wild enough to please any Waters fan.

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Scott Sublett

Washington Blade

05/20/2022

Polyester will be remembered for a long time. It is a well-made film, a masterpiece of comedy and an utterly original, independent vision.

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John Waters

Director

Divine

Francine Fishpaw

Tab Hunter

Todd Tomorrow

Edith Massey

Cuddles Kovinsky

Mink Stole

Sandra Sullivan

David Samson

Elmer Fishpaw

House Party 2

27%

65%

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Friday

77%

91%

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House Party 3

0%

66%

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Synopsis

A frustrated housewife, Francine Fishpaw (Divine), tries to maintain her sanity while taking care of her dysfunctional household. Elmer (David Samson), her husband and the owner of an adult theater, is sleeping with his secretary, and her delinquent teen son, Dexter (Ken King), and pregnant teen daughter, Lulu (Mary Garlington), aren't helping matters any. But when Francine meets dashing Todd Tomorrow (Tab Hunter), the owner of a theater specializing in art films, her life appears rosier.

Director: John Waters
Producer: John Waters
Screenwriter: John Waters
Distributor: New Line Home Video [us], Criterion Collection, New Line Cinema
Production Co: New Line Cinema
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 29, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 18, 2010
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)