SubUrbia is a criminally underrated and unpopular movie that deserves so much more than it got. Going through some Linklater movies, and having previously seen the brilliant and also underrated Tape, and A Scanner Darkly, i stumbled upon this one. The description got me instantly interested in it. Considering the fact that right now im kinda going through the same situation.
SubUrbia is the most realistic portrayal of existential crisis at the age of 20's, where our lives are about to be blown away by responsibilities and having to face the hard and inexorable reality, we don't know what we want and what's the purpose of living, what we want to do with our lives while time is passing and never coming back. Moments of peace and consolation happen only when the ''kids'' hang around together, trying to get out of their misery, while still having theirselves falling in the same trap of the same conversations, again about questioning their existence.
The characters, we could all relate to AT LEAST one of them, their personality and thoughts. Jeff, the calm guy who acts like he knows more than his friends or is smarter than them, while he doesn't seem to know the answers about himself, stambling between denial and reality. Buff, the guy who DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN about anything, enjoys every moment with his buddies, and just goes on with the flow, being happy and relaxed, maybe living in denial too but in the end, while he's kinda ''crazy'' he seems the one not having a problem at all with the situation. Sooze, the girl who thinks she's alternative talking about different sort of stuff, without any substance, and finally Tim, who's playing tough guy trying to hide the fact that he's the weakest of them all, being pissed off all the time. The characters are built up so well by Linklater, that when the successful guy Pony, who got out of this town and made a name and career of himself, the reactions are what's expected of everyone. Jeff is totally jealous and he's showcasing it several times, admitting it only when he was drunk, but once again finding a poor excuse to make himself think he's better. Bee-bee, a side character who hangs out with them seems not able to cope with reality, having just got out of rehabilition, she ultimately couldn't handle reality anymore, driving to suicide, wasn't made clear if she died. Tim was a coward trying to do something to either end his life, or end up to someplace else, probably Prison.
In the end only Buff, with his own sense of optimism and being cool with everything that comes his way, and Sooze, having Pony being infatuated with her seem to make it out of the town, starting something new.
The movie is not for everyone, it's a slow movie, building up characters and atmosphere. Few will understand it and relate to it, those who didn't get through existential crisis at this age, will never like it or get it. You need to be concentrated on every piece of dialogue cause it's important since it reflects their actions, and it's the basis of the movie. The fact that it took place at night, made it even better.
Just an amazing movie, that flows nostalgia all over your body and mind, and leaves you thinking about your life.
SubUrbia is the most realistic portrayal of existential crisis at the age of 20's, where our lives are about to be blown away by responsibilities and having to face the hard and inexorable reality, we don't know what we want and what's the purpose of living, what we want to do with our lives while time is passing and never coming back. Moments of peace and consolation happen only when the ''kids'' hang around together, trying to get out of their misery, while still having theirselves falling in the same trap of the same conversations, again about questioning their existence.
The characters, we could all relate to AT LEAST one of them, their personality and thoughts. Jeff, the calm guy who acts like he knows more than his friends or is smarter than them, while he doesn't seem to know the answers about himself, stambling between denial and reality. Buff, the guy who DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN about anything, enjoys every moment with his buddies, and just goes on with the flow, being happy and relaxed, maybe living in denial too but in the end, while he's kinda ''crazy'' he seems the one not having a problem at all with the situation. Sooze, the girl who thinks she's alternative talking about different sort of stuff, without any substance, and finally Tim, who's playing tough guy trying to hide the fact that he's the weakest of them all, being pissed off all the time. The characters are built up so well by Linklater, that when the successful guy Pony, who got out of this town and made a name and career of himself, the reactions are what's expected of everyone. Jeff is totally jealous and he's showcasing it several times, admitting it only when he was drunk, but once again finding a poor excuse to make himself think he's better. Bee-bee, a side character who hangs out with them seems not able to cope with reality, having just got out of rehabilition, she ultimately couldn't handle reality anymore, driving to suicide, wasn't made clear if she died. Tim was a coward trying to do something to either end his life, or end up to someplace else, probably Prison.
In the end only Buff, with his own sense of optimism and being cool with everything that comes his way, and Sooze, having Pony being infatuated with her seem to make it out of the town, starting something new.
The movie is not for everyone, it's a slow movie, building up characters and atmosphere. Few will understand it and relate to it, those who didn't get through existential crisis at this age, will never like it or get it. You need to be concentrated on every piece of dialogue cause it's important since it reflects their actions, and it's the basis of the movie. The fact that it took place at night, made it even better.
Just an amazing movie, that flows nostalgia all over your body and mind, and leaves you thinking about your life.