Director Joe Dante’s film felt like a damp squib back in 1989 despite an intriguing question; a big star, a sinister theme, and a question; what are The ‘Burbs? After Gremlins and Innerspace, some kind of sci-fi/horror content was anticipated, so maybe the burbs would turn out to be monsters or aliens, right? Well, no, because the ‘burbs are actually the suburbs, and the suburban areas of inner cities are the target of this long-winded satire that intrigues but doesn’t quite satisfy.
Hanks is always good value, and he imbues Ray Peterson with a nice everyman quality; he’s got a week off work and he’s keen to kick back and enjoy a home vacation. But his neighbours (notably Bruce Dern as a Vietnam vet) have spotted odd goings on at the dilapidated home of the Klopecks, who have recently moved into the neighbourhood. Strange noises, comings and goings at odd times; what do the Klopecs have to hide with their anti-social behaviour? Ray’s wife (Carrie Fisher) tries to talk him down, but Ray ends up leading a team of amateur sleuths in a breaking and entering mission to uncover the secret of the Klopec house.
The casting, technique and tone of Dante’s film all work well, but there’s something missing; the pace of the film is so slow that The Burbs feels like a shaggy-dog story, and the punch-line disappoints. There’s more fun to be had with the idea that Ray and his friends are over-reacting, and the film flirts with a ‘we are the real monsters’ theme. But that gets discarded with a throwaway confrontation at the end that vindicates all the wayward impulses that the film sets out to satirise.
The ‘Burbs is a watchable, lightweight film that never quite comes to the boil; Dern is fun, but Fisher is wasted, and the single location gets a bit grating. Dante is something of a film expert, and The ‘Burbs could have used some of the manic energy and references that pepper his best work. There’s something dark about the way suburbanites view their neighbours, and The ‘Burbs picks up on that idea before reverting to a Hardy Boys scenario that feels too juvenile for the supposedly adult characters to be involved with. While easy to watch, The ‘Burbs never quite delivers on the strength of a potentially explosive premise.
Nodding, no way will I go back and watch it. Nope!
You can join the team of committed “nope’ commenters! Never too busy for a NOPE!
Proud!
I enjoyed this a lot when I watched it a couple of years ago on Prime. I fully agree that Fisher was wasted. I was hoping her character would have some more depth added to it, instead I got a harried, screeching housewife who resents being the adult of the married pair.
I LIKED the ending, because I was expecting this to be a biting satire of how all the normal people are the monsters and the outcasts are really nice people after all. Feth that! Monsters are out there and they want to desecrate our corpses. That’s a message I can get behind 😀 😀 😀
I for one have no plans to desecrate your corpse! And I’m sure many feel the same way!
Thank goodness!
I wasn’t REALLY worried you would, but hey, you camp out in a surveillance van and eat macflurry’s, so nothing’s off the table at this point 😉
Exactly, I’ll be looking for some way to display your corpse, but it’ll be tasteful, and the disposal will be environmentally sound, I promise. No desecration.
I recommend a good 50meter gibbet. Just make sure the chain you use is of silver, or gold etched with silver. Gold and Silver are always in good taste.
Ribbons? Tracer lights? Gift tags?
Gift tags are just gauche! I’m surprised you could even think of such a thing! Shame on you.
I do like the idea of Tracer Lights though. Very attention grabbing.
Great, got some lights left over from the festive season. Choice of music?
Something upbeat and lively. maybe from a Disney movie? How about that Little Mermaid song, Under the Sea, but with the words changed to reflect on the gibbet?
You’ll Be In My Heart from Tarzan?
Does it have jungle drums? If so, I could swing with that…
It’s going to be great, so put your fears of desecration aside, never will a corpse swing like yours!
Most Excellent, dudes….
Nope.
Sigh
Well….I loved this movie! In fact when it comes to comedies, this one just worked for me (although I guess it isn’t a full on comedy so there is that😅😅). But I don’t know I just really enjoyed it a whole lot! I can be weird in that way sometimes😅😅
I can see why people dig it, I guess I was expecting something different, so maybe it’s on me….glad to hear it works for some people!
Lol, well you know me and comedies don’t exactly mix very well together, so with this one it also might just be me…but eh, I enjoyed it. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen it though, so who knows my perspective on it might have changed😊
Somebody could write a whole book on dark satires of American suburban life. There’s so much material.
I’ve never been a big fan of Hanks so I passed on this.
It’s not essential viewing, even if it has a great subject in its sights…