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Polyester

1981·Movie
1h 26min·R
IMDb7.0Metacritic727.5Rotten Tomatoes93%80%

Where to watch

No stream option in US yet.

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

Polyester fingerprint

Funny, striking style, light on feelings.

Energy

Fast-paced

Fast from start to finish.

  • Fast Pace7
  • Tension4
  • Spectacle4

Heart

Nostalgic

Much of it is about family.

  • Nostalgia8
  • Family Dynamics7
  • Pathos6

Humor

Plenty of satire and slapstick

  • Satire & Parody8
  • Physical Comedy7
  • Absurdist Humor7

World

Everyday modern life, family, and pop culture

  • World Immersion7
  • Novelty7
  • Dialogue Centrality6

Craft

Solid, not remarkable

  • Direction7
  • Acting7
  • Character Depth7

Style

Standout sound design

  • Sound Centrality8
  • Cinematography7
  • Visual Stylization7

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFriends NightParty VibePartner WatchSolo WatchComfort WatchDrop-in FriendlyPure Escapism

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

It’s Scentsational!

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.
Trash CinemaCamp ClassicSatirical ComedySuburban MelodramaNostalgic 80s AestheticOver-the-Top PerformancesDeliberately CheesySense-Sational Experience

Crew

Directed by:
John Waters, Pat Moran
Written by:
John Waters, Debbie Harry
Produced by:
John Waters, Rachel Talalay, Robert Shaye
Composed by:
Michael Kamen, Michael Kamen, Skip Lievsay

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Polyester

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Polyester legally?

You can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Polyester worth watching?

78
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 78/100 (IMDb 7, Rotten Tomatoes 93%, and Metacritic 72). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Polyester rated?

RSexual contentStrong languageDrug use

It's rated R in the United States. Content advisories: sexual content, strong language, and drug use.

How long is Polyester?

1 h 26 min

Polyester runs 1 h 26 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on Polyester?

Critics83
Audiences75

Not quite. Critics rate Polyester higher (83) than audiences (75). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

Was Polyester a box office hit?

Budget$300,000
Box office$1 million

Yes. It cost about $300,000 to make and earned $1 million worldwide, 3.7 times its budget.

What language is Polyester in?

EnglishChinese

It was made in English, with some Chinese. Produced in United Kingdom, United States.

In how many countries can I watch Polyester?

9AUCAESGBGGIENZROUS

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Polyester in 9 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does Polyester use?

New-Age Retro HippieAbusive ParentsMoral GuardiansSmelly SkunkSuper-StrengthConvenient MiscarriageWeight WoeOnly FriendThe AlcoholicMugging the MonsterBig Beautiful WomanBlack Comedyand 14 more

TV Tropes lists 26 storytelling tropes for Polyester, including New-Age Retro Hippie, Abusive Parents, Moral Guardians.