Suburbicon is a crime black comedy film directed by George Clooney. The plot sees tensions mount in a small suburban town after robbers brutally kill a wife/ mother. However, as the film progresses it is shown that there is much more afoot, sinister things indeed and they only escalate.
This should be the last film Clooney directs. That is how I will open this review. Going into this film I had heard mixed things, but the trailer looked good, so I pressed on and my god I wish I hadn’t.
The biggest flaw of the film is the script and the story, really just all the writing in this film is terrible. It is written by the Cohen brothers, who personally I believe are incredibly overrated, and this film proves that not everything they touch turns to gold. There are so many random plot threads all happening at the same time and none of them fit together. It is confusing and poorly structured.
The second biggest flaw is how on the nose it is. Now I have no issue with a film getting political, hell if done right it can be a thing of beauty, but this film did not do it right. While we have the murdered mum storyline, we also have the story of a black family that moves in down the road, they’re abused and humiliated and then later in the film attacked in their home. This plotline does not feel needed or done well it feels stitched together to try and make a point. The ending sees the sons of each family playing catch over a shattered fence, as thought the metaphor is supposed to mean something; all it meant to me was that I have wasted my time. It is not deep or clever and it has about as much finesse and nuance as a festering animal carcass.
Overall, this film proves that not all actors are cut out to direct. Stay in front of the camera Mr Clooney please.
Pros.
The cast are trying, it is just a shame they have nothing to work with.
Cons.
It fails spectacularly to be deep.
The metaphors are ham-fisted and tiresome.
The writing stinks.
None of it makes sense.
1/5
Reviewed by Luke
Another Millennial Reviewer 