Review of The 'Burbs (1989) by Calum P — 31 Mar 2010

Sometimes a bizarre comedy just hits the right notes with me and, despite none of my friends liking it, I love it. This is a premier example of such: one of my favorites in that category. The fact others don't share that opinion doesn't bother me, but I am glad to see reviewers on this site who appreciated this black, very underrated gem.

I always get a big kick out of this film, no matter how many times I see it.I credit a little-known actor for making this so entertaining to me: Rick Ducommun. I think he steals the show from well-known stars Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher and Corey Feldman.

Actually, I think this film is panned a lot because they didn't expect Hanks to be in something this goofy. Too bad, but I bet he had a lot fun making it, along with the rest of the cast.

Ducommun and Dern are the hilarious wackos who try to help straight-laced Hanks find out about the really-strange neighbors he has next door. Are these people some demented killers or just the figment of these nosy neighbors' imagination? Fisher is Hanks' always-complaining wife and Feldman is the teen across the street who watches all the lunacy from his porch, getting his getting nightly entertainment from these crazy adults.

Director Joe Dante, of "Gremlins" fame, does a good job entertaining us in here, too, and providing some fun camera-work. Dante also used music to great advantage, mostly for humor.