SubUrbia (1996)

This is a great story with a great cast of indie icons. Giovanni Ribisi does a convincing and sensitive portrayal of his troubling character and Steve Zahn continues to satisfy with his venue of off-the-wall characters. Indie queen Parker Posey pops up halfway through the movie, and even though, she's not in it that much, she still maintains her magnetic screen presence. Eric Bogosian's dialogue is a key element to making this film fantastic.

Fmovies: After avoiding this film for years (thinking it was for kids) I caught it on cable recently and found it completely engaging. What struck me is that while it is about younger people, that audience might not embrace it. I found it smart, witty in a very dry sort of way, yet also a compassionate look at the contemporary American youngster. Absolutely worth viewing. And the dialogue is, well... snappy.

First of all, this is NOT a comedy. Not in the least sense of the word. I heard that people say that it's black humour. Personally, I've seen alot of black comedies in my days, and Suburbia is definitely not black humour. This is tragic, and it is tragedy at it's best.

The plotline is really about nothing at all, which is exactly what the characters lives are about as well. The "big rockstar" Pony comes to meet with the good ol' guys (our supposed protagonists), but he isn't exactly met with open arms. Both Nicky Katt (Tim) and Giovanni Ribisi (Jeff) deliver great acting. Although their roles may seem simple and plain, but I doubt greater actors could have gotten more out of their roles. I just finished watching Suburbia for the fourth time, and it still manages to bring me down. If you're looking for a movie to lift your spirit, this is not it. I talked to a friend of mine earlier and since he's feeling a bit down all in all, he was really, really, reluctant to watch Suburbia.

"Suburbia" went straight to video in Sweden, and I can easily say it's the best straight-to-video flick I have ever seen. If you want to see a movie whose hopelessness stays with with until you got to sleep, and maybe the next day as well, Suburbia's the one to get. A depression wetdream.

SubUrbia fmovies. I'm not big on comparing movies, so in watching this movie I abolished the fact that some of the same people who worked on Dazed and Confused did this movie. Depending upon what you expect of this movie determines what exactly you will think of it impressionably. Suburbia is a comedy, but more so a strong story delivered by great actors. Its moral is one of those undefined feelings that will never truly be diagramed, and then again that's not its point. Suburbia unleashes characters that are filled with life and dimension beyond the threes' parallel. It's a story about not caring, about doing, and becoming. It leaves you with a decision in your own self. Deep for a comedy, but simply an excellent movie!

Eric Bogosian has written and performed extensively for the theater. I have seen him as a solo performer, as well as his plays "Talk Radio" and "SubUrbia". Having admired his work on the stage, one wondered what kind of treatment those plays would get. Luckily, he was able to adapt them to the screen, himself. I had seen this movie when it came out, so when it showed on cable recently, I decided to take another look. While it's a work that perhaps was marketed as a comedy, this work is much more than that. This film dares to take a look at one of the most prevalent problems in the American society.

Richard Linkletter was perhaps the right choice for directing "SubUrbia" since he has a keen eye for the "slackers" in our society. These individuals are perhaps puzzling to a lot of other cultures, but it appears there's a trend among young people all over that come from homes where parents and children inhabit different worlds.

The phenomenon of the American suburban youth is well presented in this movie where there is no parent authority around to supervise what these kids are doing. The culture of hanging out without any purpose, or meaning, is a problem in that in most cases, leads into drugs, sex, and alienation from what is known as normal society, thus creating people like the ones this movie is portraying.

In a way, Hollywood films have added to this anti hero sub culture, so prevalent in the country. When there are no strong figures either at home, school, or government, young people tend to gravitate toward friends who they feel comfortable with, shying away from reality and responsibility.

It is the convenience store owner, a Pakistani, who puts things in perspective. While these kids are wasting their time, he is working on his degree and will make something out of himself, which is a theme that has been explored by other great American writers, like Arthur Miller, in "A Death of a Salesman". The same American dream, where everything is possible, is wasted in these young people. At the same time, it's the immigrant who wants to make that dream a reality in his life because he has experienced hard times in his own country.

Mr. Linkletter's choice of a cast is brilliant. He gathered the talents of Giovanni Ribisi, Parker Posey, Amie Carey, Nicky Katt, Steve Zahn, Jayce Bartok, Dina Spybey to give life to these lost souls in search of identity in the heart of the American counter culture that is generated by the boredom of the suburbs and the erosion of the family in this country.

Always having been a fan of Richard Linklater's work, it confounded me that his film after indie darlings Dazed and Confused and Before Sunrise has never been released on DVD. SubUrbia is the kind of movie you hear that fans of his work love, but never found a place in cinema history. Flipping through the movie channels on TV, I happened across the film and could not stop watching until it was over. Much in the same way as his other work, the movie is dialogue driven and concerning a small group of people talking about life and what comes next for them. He has compiled a very nice cast, all of who take their character and roll with it. It is a scary thing, post high school, deciding what to do with one's life. Having been stuck in the suburbs for so long, one begins to wonder if they can survive outside it.

The compelling thing for me in Richard Linklater films is the general waxing philosophic feel they all seem to have. These are kids that are college age who have things to talk about, questions to have answered, and are not afraid to ask them when they are surrounded by those they trust. This group of friends is caught at a crossroads, not knowing if what they are doing is the right way to go. Many have tried their hands at something, but ultimately gave up to continue loitering around their corner convenience store. When one of their friends, who found success in leaving the small town of Burnfield becoming a rockstar, happens to come home for a show, the group's equilibrium goes off-kilter as they face what could be. Some feel that if they had applied themselves they could have been successes as well, while others see the shell of a man their buddy has become after being sucked into the machine. The return home opens everyone's eyes to the situation they are in and for better or worse changes the way they decide to continue living their lives.

While a drama, there are many funny scenes. When a few of them begin talking about the reason Pony became a rockstar, to be able to tell the world his thoughts, to have someone listen to him, they say how rough it is to feel like no one can hear what they are saying. Through the entire conversation Giovannu Ribisi's Jeff is trying to be heard chiming in with his own ideas. The irony of the situation may be a bit heavy-handed, but it is also very true to form. Ribisi shines in this role as an intelligent youth who has never applied himself, always being content with hanging around his troubled friends. He soon realizes that the freedom he has is more important than selling out for fame and fortune, it is the people he cares about that keep him going, not the material things in life he could have. Steve Zahn is again brilliant in one of his earlier roles. He plays the idiot comedian to perfection while also evolving into someone who uses his cheery disposition for success. You begin to see that he knows exactly who he is and is in control at every moment. It's a shame he now only gets roles that are one-dimensionally that stupid guy there for laughs. It is also a pleasure to see Office Space alum, Ajay Naidu in a good role, touching on the bigotry of American small town life. The success his character is having, while not being American, prays on the jealousy of those who feel their heritage should entitle them to happiness. The lazy toughs around town would rather pick on the foreigners for working hard instead of doing the time themselves.

Rounding out a very good cast is Dina Spybey and Nicky Katt. Spybey is great in a tough role. She is t