Film Snail

Suburbicon
Suburbicon

5.9

Suburbicon

R·2017·105m

Summary

In the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and murder.

Cast

Matt Damon

Matt Damon

Gardner Lodge

Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore

Margaret Lodge / Rose

Noah Jupe

Noah Jupe

Nicky Lodge

Oscar Isaac

Oscar Isaac

Bud Cooper

Landon Gordon

Landon Gordon

Kid on Bike

Glenn Fleshler

Glenn Fleshler

Ira Sloan

Alex Hassell

Alex Hassell

Louis

Karimah Westbrook

Karimah Westbrook

Mrs. Mayers

Tony Espinosa

Tony Espinosa

Andy Mayers

Gary Basaraba

Gary Basaraba

Uncle Mitch

Leith M. Burke

Leith M. Burke

Mr. Mayers

Jack Conley

Jack Conley

Hightower

Megan Ferguson

Megan Ferguson

June

Lauren Burns

Lauren Burns

Mitch's Secretary

Steve Monroe

Steve Monroe

Mailman Henry

James Handy

James Handy

Mayor Billings

Hope Banks

Hope Banks

Mrs Pendalton

Michael D. Cohen

Michael D. Cohen

Stretch

Richard Kind

Richard Kind

John Sears

Cathy Giannone

Cathy Giannone

Sylvia

Peggy Miley

Peggy Miley

Betty

Ellen Crawford

Ellen Crawford

Eileen

Nancy Daly

Nancy Daly

Linda

Pamela Dunlap

Pamela Dunlap

Mrs. Krup

Mather Zickel

Mather Zickel

James

Josh Meyer

Freddy

Vince Cefalu

Vince Cefalu

Chuck

Corey Allen Kotler

Corey Allen Kotler

Bomber

Steven Shaw

Doctor Jennings

Don Baldaramos

Don Baldaramos

Reverend Jones

Allan Wasserman

Allan Wasserman

Roger

Mark Leslie Ford

Mark Leslie Ford

Bill Thackery

Robert Pierce

Ed Pappas

Frank Califano

Father Dominicus

Biff Yeager

Biff Yeager

Mr. Karger

Benjamin Franczuszki

Reporter

Inbal Amirav

Inbal Amirav

Church Choir Singer (uncredited)

Dean England

Dean England

Funeral Mourner (uncredited)

Gia Balzano

Mississippi Younger Daughter (uncredited)

Becca Beton

New York Girl (uncredited)

Saraya Chanadet

Saraya Chanadet

Ohio Daughter (uncredited)

Diane Dehn

Virginia (uncredited)

Gretchen Dickason

Gretchen Dickason

Passers by (uncredited)

Nichole Eberle

Neighbor/Protester (uncredited)

Sonia Gascón

Sonia Gascón

Pregnant Lady (uncredited)

Anna Gion

Smoking Pregnant Woman (uncredited)

Lauren Mendoza

P & S Secretary (uncredited)

Diana Matlak

Funeral Mourner (uncredited)

Taylor Ragan

Mississippi Mom (uncredited)

Weston Mueller

Weston Mueller

Perp #1 (uncredited)

Alessandro Delpiano

Alessandro Delpiano

Townhome kid (uncredited)

Dash Williams

Dash Williams

Walters (uncredited)

Gavin Wilde

Cowboy Kid

Avery Barkdull

Avery Barkdull

Grocery Store Kid (uncredited)

Blake Altounian

Blake Altounian

Frog (uncredited)

Bobby Brodney

Reporter (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Writer

George Clooney

Writer

Joel Coen

Writer

Ethan Coen

Writer

Grant Heslov

Reviews

FilipeManuelNeto

FilipeManuelNeto

June 23, 2022

4

**A film that recreates the modus vivendi of the 50s suburbs, but fails to give us a story with tension and suspense that we can adhere to.**

Any Cohen Brothers film is always a film that promises not to be like any other. Their style is quite unique and does not suit everyone. And this time they bring us a film that is entirely about the importance of appearances, the rottenness they cover up, and a certain self-destruction latent beneath an impeccable appearance. It's a film that tries to teach us that nothing is what it seems, nothing is perfect, there are no paradises on Earth, and everything that seems too perfect always has something decadent or spoiled behind it. Yet another film that promises to annoy those who see it... a nuisance that helps us understand why the film was so poor at the box office.

This is the lesson of Suburbicon, a seemingly perfect and very friendly community, all white Caucasians, with impeccable houses, cars and lawns, which will begin to experience days of enormous turmoil and riot when a black family decides to move there. The family in question seems as impeccable as they are, and as wealthy as any of their neighbors... but they are black, and that is enough to be undesirable in the eyes of the neighbors. At the same time, one of those impeccable families begins to implode after a home invasion results in a murder and, days later, an inspector shows up, thinking it's all a crime committed to grab the life insurance money.

As we can see, the script is not difficult to describe succinctly, despite joining two plots that, alone, could make a solo film. Set in the 1950s, the film shows us how the suburban neighborhood was born, with a large urbanization boosted by the growing prosperity and purchasing power of a rapidly growing middle class. However, throughout the film, the feeling of artificiality and falsehood that surrounds the neighborhood (and that ideal family in particular) is accentuated, in proportion to the suspicions of the authorities and the hostility towards the black family. Unfortunately, the film fails to convey that tension to the audience, and the atmosphere is never as thick and disturbing as it should be.

George Clooney may not be part of the cast, but he ensures a safe direction and is aware of what he wants... although he doesn't seem to know exactly how to get there! He takes great efforts in the most technical and artistic points, in the sets design, in the recreation of the period, but he fails to shape the environment in such a way that the tension and suspense can be built up on the way to the climax, nor that the cast corresponds with the same effort and commitment. The proof is Matt Damon, who brings the protagonist to life in a lukewarm way, similar to what he did in _Good Shepherd_ (the similarity between characters, from a visual and behavioral point of view, is huge and not pleasant). Julianne Moore turns out to be the best actress here, with a good performance where she combines a calculating and meticulous spirit with an appearance of an ideal housewife.

Technically, it's a well-executed film on many levels: the cinematography is colorful, vivid, and the filming work was well done. The sets manage to resurrect the idyllic appearance of the middle-class suburb of the 50s, with the sets betting on period furniture and colors between green and pink. The cars are an important part of the movie, and they are all magnificent. The costumes, most particularly Moore's, are also excellent and bring back the women's fashion of that period. Alexander Desplat signs the soundtrack and does a very well executed job.

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$25,000,000.00

Revenue:

$12,751,667.00

Keywords

dark comedy