SUBURBICON – Rated R – 1 hr. 44 mins. – MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Starring Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, Oscar Isaac and Gary Basaraba
Well, it looks like if you sit down with the Cohen Brothers to write a film about days gone by ~ with a super predictable storyline ~ then they might let you sit in the Directors chair too…as Clooney brings to life a tale of the SUBURBIA of YESTERYEAR…THIS IS SUBURBICON!!!
As we enter into the 1960’s, and its beautiful little neighborhoods, filled with cookie-cutter homes with no other races but white, dwelling among them…
When a black family takes up residence, much to many homeowners dismay ~ as the neighborhood association has a lot of explaining to do ~ as how did this happen? As these folks, have got to go…
Meanwhile, in the house next door to our new black homeowners, young Nicky (Noah Jupe), his Aunt Margaret (Julianne Moore) and his paralyzed mother Rose (Julianne Moore too 😉 don’t see to be worried about their new neighbors, as Rose even suggests that Nicky go play ball with the nice young boy next door…
Everything seems calm and mundane in this tranquil suburbia by day ~ until all the crazies come out at night ~ to torment our new black family…two assailants break into their neighbor’s home too, even when the man of the house, Gardner (Matt Damon) at home…
When our assailants assist Rose in taking her last breath…it seems that Aunt Margaret is there, ready to step into her sister’s life, becoming both Mother figure, and wife stand in too, just as a way to keep Gardner’s Suburban life in tact…
When Nicky and Uncle Mitch (Gary Basaraba) sense a lot of foul play is within their midst, Gardner and Margaret must speed up their campaign to lead the perfect suburban life, and to hide all their own underhanded dealings, with the disguise of it all taking place due to the terrible, horrible next door neighbors…
As Gardner and Margaret’s plans begin to unravel with the help of their disgruntled, yet to be paid-off assailants, it seems that Uncle Mitch is the only one that save poor little Nicky….as this tranquil SUBURBAN LIFE, ends up being anything but…
I give SUBURBICON a rating between MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN or WAIT AND CATCH THIS FILM ON DVD ~ I was so excited to view this Cohen Brothers film – with the trailer conveying a “who done it, with a blast from the past”! Young Noah Jupe’s performance throughout is absolutely fabulous, as he, and his performance truly manage to carry this film. Damon’s performance is noteworthy too, as the mastermind behind his wife’s demise – and the assailants entering his life, and never seeming to go away. Moore’s performance is definitely not one of her best, even while bringing two characters to the screen. I was really surprised though by how predictable this storyline was, that I found myself hoping that it was planned for it to play out “this slow, and conventional”, as it’s the 60’s, when life “was suppose to be perfect” for every middle-classed white individual”… because if that wasn’t their plan, then the predictability of it all the whole way through, makes it seem to way to conventional…
Did I enjoy all the nostalgia, and seeing Damon back on the BIG SCREEN? YES! Was I as enamored as I was hoping to be by all the nostalgia of my childhood, and what seemed to be an intensely amusing movie to see? Just barely ~ as even the subplot of the “perfect for the decade” black family moving into the all-white neighborhood, and the aftermath that followed, just started to annoy me. Don’t get me wrong, SUBURBIA has its moments along the way, but was it so entertaining that I have to tell you to rush out to the theater this weekend to see it? Not really! Suffice to say, if you love the Cohen Brothers dark sense of humor, and enjoy seeing Damon on the big screen, as Clooney definitely knows how to get a good performance from him…then by all means, head out to a theater near you to check out SUBURBICON, don’t let me stop you!!! But if you are thinking this film is going to be the best Cohen movie yet, especially with Clooney at the helm, you might be disappointed…and want to consider catching this film when it pops of DVD or NETFLIX, in order for you to get your SUBURBICON fix!
Kathy Kaiser
MATINEE CHAT with Kathy Kaiser 