Another poster had the following heading for their review of "Private Parts":
A self-serving and unrealistic look at a funny man
And I totally agree. I like Howard Stern. I don't love or idolize him like many of his fans do but I think he fills a necessary niche for people.
But this movie reeked of self promotion and an attempt to win over people (mostly women) who didn't or don't like him. This was confirmed when my wife (who hated Stern) turned to me after the movie was over and said "he's so nice...I liked it!" Oye. The kiss of death.
This movie was a big hit in it's opening weekend but quickly fizzled out. I know why. His true, core fans flocked to see it the first weekend and were put off by it's "nice" moments (all the cuddly stuff with his wife and kids...the sorrowful, thoughtful look he gets before he hits it big..etc.) This movie is NOT what hardcore Stern fans want or were looking for. Oh, yes...there's the nudity and the "naughty" Stern behavior. But for some reason, despite some of it being taken directly from the original airings, these scenes have a cleaned/scrubbed feeling to it which zaps them of their spark, fun and originality. The scenes are simply NOT funny, daring or in the slightest way dirty or daring. It does not push the envelope at all.
After the opening weekend, most non Stern fans would not go near it because they feared (incorrectly) that the movie was near pornographic and anarchic. So the film fell into a void between the (disappointed )hardcore Stern fans and the non fans.
What the film could've been is something along the lines of a Monty Python film. It needed an edge or some zippy editing to move it along.
What's amazing about the film is how completely, shockingly CONVENTIONAL it is.
