Review of Suburbicon (2017) by Yuri S — 03 Nov 2017

Suburbicon is weird. Like, really weird. And not in a good way. Like drinking coffee out of a beer can that's also spiked with orange juice. And man, is it trying its darndest to make something unique and intentional. Unfortunately, I don't know if I've ever seen a movie swing so hard and end up whiffing even harder. Suburbicon is not just weird; it's also just plain bad.

To describe it would be an act of futility. It's sort of about a family dealing with death. It's sort of about racism. It's sort of a mafia comedy. It's sort of a satire of the American dream. It's sort of a familial thriller. It has some great production design, and Oscar Isaac is a blast in his short screen time. Otherwise, it's one of the most obnoxious critiques of the dark suburban underbelly I've ever seen. I have no idea how someone is supposed to plug into this movie. Predictable when trying to be sneaky, dull when trying to be exciting, awkward when trying to be funny; it gives us no character to latch onto, no story to intrigue us, no humor to overcome its darkness, and no clarity or focus to its themes.

Honestly, Mr. Clooney, what is this movie? Is it a quirky comedy? Is it a dark thriller? Is it a corny message on love, or a cynical study of American justice? Whatever it is, I'll tell you what it isn't: a movie worth watching.