Fitting for his March release date, Howard Stern comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb in "Private Parts", the shock jock's foray into yet another medium in this movie celebration of Stern's unlikely rise to radio superstardom.
Misunderstood geeks everywhere -- a sizable majority in any metropolis -- should line up for this cozy and caustic comedy and, perhaps most surprisingly, the film will appeal to educated women who have been dragged into the theater, a demographic not known for their unabashed enthusiasm for Stern's inspired sophomorisms. The boxoffice call letters for this Paramount release should be W-HIT or K-HIT, depending on your side of the FCC line.
Thematically, "Private Parts" is wonderfully non-PC, while stylistically, it's "Rebel Without a Cause", "Good Morning, Vietnam" and the triumph-of-the-nerds genre all rolled into one as it traces Howard's gangly life from yelled-at kid to yelled-at adult. The consistency is that everyone was always telling him to shut up, and he always felt misunderstood.
Unfortunately for Howard, he was never able to channel that adolescent anomie in the way a James Dean or a more accomplished girl-getter would have sublimated. Being misunderstood got him no girls, and so it seems, scant few friends. A cross between Woody Allen and Big Bird, with severe penis-size anxiety, Howard had only one outlet other than masturbation -- doing radio.
In this affectionate bio, screenwriters Len Blum and Michael Kalesniko trace Howard's life from his childhood to his paisley days at Boston University up through a triumphant 1985 love fest in Central Park. With his Hebro, prominent schnoz and black-rimmed glasses, collegiate Howard most resembled a costume-shop dork trying to find his way during the days of free love and rebellion.
The most hilarious bits are in Howard's early days as he flounders to find his voice, actually serving as a DJ in Dee-troit for a country/western station while he balances a marriage to a wonderful girl, Alison, whose only liability seems to mirror the problem most intelligent women have always endured, lousy taste in men.
Overall, "Private Parts" is biblical in spirit, with Howard the voice crying in the wilderness. Here the Philistines, of course, are philistinic radio programmers and the pusillanimous pussies of public mores. While "Private Parts" is at its most hilarious when Howard slays the authority figures, it also has a tender underside: We see that the private vs. public Howard are two very different figures, the cerebral, acerbic social satirist on one hand, the squirrelly but devotedly faithful husband and family man on the other.
Playing himself, Stern is no Mel Gibson, but that's the point. As an abrasive pain in the ass, he's actually appealing. Sidekick Robin Quivers is similarly convincing and engaging as herself, while Mary McCormack is warm as Howard's understanding wife. Amid the proper mix of lesbians, rock stars, babes, droolers and dysfunctionals, there's a character who swallows a 12-inch kielbasa -- credit to actress Althea Cassidy for that filmic feat.
From start to finish, Betty Thomas is the perfect program director, keeping an eye on the narrative dial. The tech contributions are similarly inspired and aptly off-center, particularly costume designer Joseph G. Aulisi's loopy threads. Spinning between the sputum is a soundtrack of timely tunes, some clearly tongue-in-cheek, or, in this case, cheeks.
PRIVATE PARTS
Paramount Pictures
Paramount and Rysher Entertainment present
An Ivan Reitman production
A Betty Thomas film
Producer Ivan Reitman
Director Betty Thomas
Screenwriters Len Blum, Michael Kalesniko
Based on the book by Howard Stern
Executive producers Daniel Goldberg,
Joe Medjuck, Keith Samples
Director of photography Walt Lloyd
Production designer Eric Golden
Editor Peter Teschner
Co-producer Celia Costas
Costume designer Joseph G. Aulisi
Color/stereo
Cast:
Howard Stern Howard Stern
Robin Quivers Robin Quivers
Alison Stern Mary McCormack
Fred Norris Fred Norris
Jackie Martling Jackie Martling
Gary Dell'Abate Gary Dell'Abate
Ben Stern Richard Portnow
Ray Stern Kelly Bishop
Vin Vallescca Reni Santoni
Kenny Paul Giamattti
Brittany Melanie Good
Howard (age 7) Bobby Boriello
Howard (age 12) Michael Maccarone
Howard (age 16) Matthew Friedman
Running time -- 108 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Misunderstood geeks everywhere -- a sizable majority in any metropolis -- should line up for this cozy and caustic comedy and, perhaps most surprisingly, the film will appeal to educated women who have been dragged into the theater, a demographic not known for their unabashed enthusiasm for Stern's inspired sophomorisms. The boxoffice call letters for this Paramount release should be W-HIT or K-HIT, depending on your side of the FCC line.
Thematically, "Private Parts" is wonderfully non-PC, while stylistically, it's "Rebel Without a Cause", "Good Morning, Vietnam" and the triumph-of-the-nerds genre all rolled into one as it traces Howard's gangly life from yelled-at kid to yelled-at adult. The consistency is that everyone was always telling him to shut up, and he always felt misunderstood.
Unfortunately for Howard, he was never able to channel that adolescent anomie in the way a James Dean or a more accomplished girl-getter would have sublimated. Being misunderstood got him no girls, and so it seems, scant few friends. A cross between Woody Allen and Big Bird, with severe penis-size anxiety, Howard had only one outlet other than masturbation -- doing radio.
In this affectionate bio, screenwriters Len Blum and Michael Kalesniko trace Howard's life from his childhood to his paisley days at Boston University up through a triumphant 1985 love fest in Central Park. With his Hebro, prominent schnoz and black-rimmed glasses, collegiate Howard most resembled a costume-shop dork trying to find his way during the days of free love and rebellion.
The most hilarious bits are in Howard's early days as he flounders to find his voice, actually serving as a DJ in Dee-troit for a country/western station while he balances a marriage to a wonderful girl, Alison, whose only liability seems to mirror the problem most intelligent women have always endured, lousy taste in men.
Overall, "Private Parts" is biblical in spirit, with Howard the voice crying in the wilderness. Here the Philistines, of course, are philistinic radio programmers and the pusillanimous pussies of public mores. While "Private Parts" is at its most hilarious when Howard slays the authority figures, it also has a tender underside: We see that the private vs. public Howard are two very different figures, the cerebral, acerbic social satirist on one hand, the squirrelly but devotedly faithful husband and family man on the other.
Playing himself, Stern is no Mel Gibson, but that's the point. As an abrasive pain in the ass, he's actually appealing. Sidekick Robin Quivers is similarly convincing and engaging as herself, while Mary McCormack is warm as Howard's understanding wife. Amid the proper mix of lesbians, rock stars, babes, droolers and dysfunctionals, there's a character who swallows a 12-inch kielbasa -- credit to actress Althea Cassidy for that filmic feat.
From start to finish, Betty Thomas is the perfect program director, keeping an eye on the narrative dial. The tech contributions are similarly inspired and aptly off-center, particularly costume designer Joseph G. Aulisi's loopy threads. Spinning between the sputum is a soundtrack of timely tunes, some clearly tongue-in-cheek, or, in this case, cheeks.
PRIVATE PARTS
Paramount Pictures
Paramount and Rysher Entertainment present
An Ivan Reitman production
A Betty Thomas film
Producer Ivan Reitman
Director Betty Thomas
Screenwriters Len Blum, Michael Kalesniko
Based on the book by Howard Stern
Executive producers Daniel Goldberg,
Joe Medjuck, Keith Samples
Director of photography Walt Lloyd
Production designer Eric Golden
Editor Peter Teschner
Co-producer Celia Costas
Costume designer Joseph G. Aulisi
Color/stereo
Cast:
Howard Stern Howard Stern
Robin Quivers Robin Quivers
Alison Stern Mary McCormack
Fred Norris Fred Norris
Jackie Martling Jackie Martling
Gary Dell'Abate Gary Dell'Abate
Ben Stern Richard Portnow
Ray Stern Kelly Bishop
Vin Vallescca Reni Santoni
Kenny Paul Giamattti
Brittany Melanie Good
Howard (age 7) Bobby Boriello
Howard (age 12) Michael Maccarone
Howard (age 16) Matthew Friedman
Running time -- 108 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 2/25/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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