Filmology Rating: 2 out of 4

Movies and television would lead us all to believe that the 1950s were perfect, filled with the happy nuclear families who never had any secrets and would go on to prosper with the idealism of the Great American Dream.  Times were simpler in many regards, but people were more ignorant than they are now, or perhaps the times have just gotten harder and the ignorance of people has stayed the same.  The point is that the world has never been a transparent place. If you were take a look outside your window I bet you would be able to identify with that. If you need a reminder you should take a trip to Suburbicon.  

Everything seems to be perfect in the town of Suburbicon, the children are always at play following the rules, the husbands are all at work, and the wives are all at home preparing the perfect dinner that the family will enjoy that night.  Everything changes in the community when an African American family moves into the community and one of the members of the community is found dead.   

As a director, George Clooney has made some interesting projects, with Good Night, and Good Luck still being his best shining star, but all of his films seem to be missing something.  As if you were eating a three course meal, you would either get a bad entree or a bad dessert.  This is the feeling that I usually garner after walking out of a film directed by Clooney; everything looks great and should be great but the middle or end need to be juiced up to be more fulfilling.  I had hope walking into this film with a script that was originally written by the Coen Brothers, and then slightly reworked by Clooney and his writing partner Grant Heslov - or what I thought would be slightly reworked.  

When you look at the ideological views of George Clooney you will find a liberal who infuses everything he does with his ideology.  I find that to be rather admirable, having someone who believes so strongly in their morals and ethics that they try to infuse the art that they make with them.  The desire to make great art that reflects who you are is admirable; but when the final product is clumsy and dull, you cannot help but question if the film itself should have been constructed with the ideology engraved in it.  The film opens with an African American family moving into the all white community of Suburbicon and naturally in the 1950s that would be the biggest scandal to rock the simple minded town.  The issue is that the plot that opens the film is actually the subplot of the film that feels like a sloppy afterthought that leads aimlessly.  If the point that Clooney is trying to make is that America has always been racist.  Sadly this is a point that doesn’t need to be stated anymore.  From the very foundation of the country,  racism has been shown as one of the truest forms of evil, and today that evil continues to grow like a plague.  Suburbicon shows the problem with vivid detail but offers nothing for a solution, which might be true to life, but for a film to bring up a plot and not offer a resolution to the plot is infuriating.       

The main plot of the film is honestly a bore to watch. It is difficult to see amazing actors like Matt Damon and Julianne Moore trying to deliver captivating performances, but not given anything to work with.  The only character that is sympathetic in the film is Nicky, played by Noah Jupe, and I would argue that is because he is the only character in the film who isn’t sinister and is still a child.  The film offers nothing new in terms of a plot, it certainly seems like a lesser Coen Brothers film, with very little quirk and dark comedy until Oscar Isaac appears.  Isaac brought a sense of life to the film and it completely picks up steam for his brief appearance,  which sadly is about the length of a cameo.  I would have easily rather have watched an entire film featuring Oscar Isaac than a film that misuses him by giving him a small cameo.

I could never recommend anyone to live in Suburbicon, let alone visit the unifying indistinguishable city of the future.  If you are looking for a comfortable experience, I would recommend staying in the town a few miles over, while they might have a killer clown, the journey will be worth your fears.     

Rating: Skip It

-Jonny G