Taglines: Let them talk.
Dirty Girl is the story of Danielle (Juno Temple), the dirty girl of Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma, circa 1987. When Danielle’s misbehavior gets her banished to a remedial class, she is paired on a parenting project with Clarke (Jeremy Dozier), an innocent closet-case with no friends.
Danielle is determined to get to California to find the father she’s never met, and Clarke is desperate to escape being sent to military school by his homophobic dad. Together, the mismatched misfits light out for California, and discover each other and themselves through a funny and serendipitous friendship.
Director Statement From Abe Sylvia
“It’s 1986 and I am standing in the quad at Whittier Middle School in Norman, Oklahoma. I am overweight, closeted, and harboring secret dreams of maybe, one day, becoming a dancer. I had big dreams for myself, but back then, I was doing my best not to be noticed, waiting for the holy horror of lunch period to end. When a tornado touched down in the form of “Dirty Debbie”.
Debbie was 16 and still in the seventh grade. In the words of Joan Jett she didn’t “give a damn” about her “Bad Reputation”, so much so, that at that very moment she was literally streaking across the quad with her shirt completely open, her ample rack bouncing for everyone to see. She was grinning from ear to ear and laughing like a deranged hyena. I do not know how Debbie found herself in this situation. Was she fleeing a groping boy? Taking someone up on a dare? Or, in that moment, did she decide this place was too boring and she was going to shake things up a bit?
Whatever it was, Debbie was thoroughly enjoying herself… unlike the rest of us. She liked being that girl. In this town where boys like me were discouraged from being our true selves, there was Debbie, the epitome of reckless abandon. She was debased, but evolved; undeniably broken, yet somehow complete… and I loved her. I have no idea what became of Dirty Debbie, but I hope she is happy, and I hope she likes the movie I made about our imaginary friendship.”
Producer Statement from Abe Silva
“It was almost exactly five years ago that Abe Sylvia first walked through my door. In truth I was reluctant to take the meeting. Unknown writer? Please, I was far too important for that. And that name?! I saw visions of an old Jewish couple, arguing over sunsets in Boca. But the manager would not stop calling. And calling. So as a purely defensive act, I set the meeting. And in the grand tradition of Hollywood development executives, I didn’t read his script until the night before the meeting – and even then assumed I’d look at twenty or so pages and be done. He’d come in, I’d hand him a tepid bottle of Arrowhead water and soon it would all be over.
My fantasies of a quick and efficient dismissal began to erode as I found myself devouring page after page of the script, laughing and crying in nearly equal measure as I arrived at the triumphant finish. Damn. Now what would I do? This nebbishy retired couple of a writer was on his way! I was screwed, so I braced myself for inevitable disappointment.
Then through my door walked a tall, handsome actor-looking type. Clearly he was a messenger, making a few bucks between auditions. “Hello. I’m Abe.” Damn. Within minutes I could tell he was a director. It was undeniable. Ten years as a dancer and choreographer on Broadway had given him poise and confidence and had groomed him for the rigors of directing a feature film.
So, every journey begins with a first step. We shook hands that day and agreed that we would make this film. Over five years, four different financiers, twelve different budgets, twenty different actors and finally twenty five disparate locations, spread over the more picturesque enclaves of Los Angeles doubling for Oklahoma, we have a film. I am immensely proud of this film and incredibly grateful for being given the opportunity to be a part of it.”
The Music
Abe Sylvia: “Music is the unifying device that instantly connects an audience to a character. So maybe you don’t know what it is like to be a mousey wife living in fear of an overbearing husband in 1980’s Oklahoma, but every single one of us has been carried away by BowWowWow’s I Want Candy. Perhaps you do not know the words to Teena Marie’s Lovegirl, but we have all had impromptu sing-alongs with our best friend in the car (if you haven’t, I am very sorry, as it is one of life’s greatest pleasures).
Hopefully you will feel the surge that Joel the stripper feels when he hears the opening phrase of The Outfield’s Your Love – a surge so powerful that it compels him to dance. I’m with Joel; you can’t NOT dance when you hear “Josie’s on a vacation far away…”
But the musical muse of DIRTY GIRL is Melissa Manchester. She is Clarke’s guiding light, his rock. Melissa’s music is what allows him to face each day anew with hope in his heart that maybe, as Joel says, “it ain’t all shit.” The depth and breadth of her body of work has made it possible to score Clarke’s biggest emotional moments in colorful, exciting, unexpected ways. Midnight Blue, a song for lovers, plays as Clarke has his first private moment alone doing homework with Danielle. He tries unsuccessfully to create a romantic mood with Through The Eyes of Love. And perhaps, most
And when Danielle is left all alone on her journey, Clarke sends Melissa Manchester to her with a new song, Rainbird (co-written with Mary Steenburgen especially for the film), to encourage her to follow her dream and to not give up her heart’s greatest desire. Melissa’s voice is what assures Danielle that love will indeed “come to you.”
We finish the film with three Melissa Manchester songs back to back. Her classic Don’t Cry Out Loud performed by Clarke and Danielle (with Melissa at the piano if you look closely) followed by a cover of Whenever I Call You Friend (co-written by Melissa and Kenny Loggins) by the sensational Fyfe Dangerfield and Inara George. Then for our end crawl Melissa takes us home with Still Myself – a song from her most recent album. Melissa sent me this song while we were in the throes of editing – and as soon as I heard it I realized it so beautifully resonated with what each of the characters had come to understand about life. And how perfect is it that a film that celebrates what a vital musical artist she has been to us over the years, ends with a new song that shows what a vital musical force she continues to be.
From Only You to Delta Dawn to Elvira to The Life by Wendy and Lisa, I have endeavored to use songs that we have stored in our collective consciousness to draw you in, envelop you in nostalgia, and hopefully have you feel them in new and exciting ways. And if you are hearing these songs for the first time, I am happy to be the DJ bringing them to your attention, and am humbled that your association with them begins with Dirty Girl.”
Dirty Girl
Directed by: Abe Sylvia
Starring: Jeremy Dozier, Juno Temple, Zach Lasry, Jonathan Slavin, Marcella Lentz-Pope, Deborah Theaker, Natalie Amenula, Milla Jovovich, Mary Steenburgen
Screenplay by: Abe Sylvia
Production Design by: Alan E. Muraoka
Cinematography by: Steve Gainer
Film Editing by: Jonathan Lucas
Costume Design by: Mary Claire Hannan
Set Decoration by: Elizabeth Moore
Art Direction by: Roni Spitzer
Music by: Jeff Toyne
MPAA Rating: R for sexual content including graphic nudity, and for language.
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Release Date: October 7, 2011
Hits: 97
