Two stories happening simultaneously. Relatively nothing to do with each other except that they mostly happen in the same 1959 suburb. And the two boys from each story do talk to each other via tin can telephones and a couple of times in person.
The main story is about an insurance fraud scheme that is not obvious until late in the film. At first it is disguised as a home invasion similar to The Desperate Hours (1955). Then with the suspense of any number of Hitchcock films but as intense as Shadow of a Doubt (1943). The jaw drop is what Matt Damon, as the boys dad character says to him as he calmly eats the poison sandwich and drinks the poison milk. Both were prepared earlier for the frightened boy by his now murdered aunt, played by Julianne Moore.
The second story which was woven in and out of the main story was either designed to be a distraction to keep the viewer from guessing the fraud plot of the main story or using artistic leeway as a reminder that there used to be serious racism in America. There are many better films on this subject: Mississippi Burning (1988); Freedom Song (2000); The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) to name three.
I was disappointed that it is listed as a comedy as its primary genre, ahead of crime and drama. I do understand the definition of black comedy but rarely find any of it worth a laugh, especially here. I think IMDB and other organizations should list films as such, "black comedy" as opposed to the laughable type that is based on stupidity, buffoonery and idiocracy. Fairly certain I won't be getting my wish for that genre separation.
Overall the film was better than the 5.7 rating it had when I saw it in August of 2020. I rated this film a 7 of 10.
The main story is about an insurance fraud scheme that is not obvious until late in the film. At first it is disguised as a home invasion similar to The Desperate Hours (1955). Then with the suspense of any number of Hitchcock films but as intense as Shadow of a Doubt (1943). The jaw drop is what Matt Damon, as the boys dad character says to him as he calmly eats the poison sandwich and drinks the poison milk. Both were prepared earlier for the frightened boy by his now murdered aunt, played by Julianne Moore.
The second story which was woven in and out of the main story was either designed to be a distraction to keep the viewer from guessing the fraud plot of the main story or using artistic leeway as a reminder that there used to be serious racism in America. There are many better films on this subject: Mississippi Burning (1988); Freedom Song (2000); The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) to name three.
I was disappointed that it is listed as a comedy as its primary genre, ahead of crime and drama. I do understand the definition of black comedy but rarely find any of it worth a laugh, especially here. I think IMDB and other organizations should list films as such, "black comedy" as opposed to the laughable type that is based on stupidity, buffoonery and idiocracy. Fairly certain I won't be getting my wish for that genre separation.
Overall the film was better than the 5.7 rating it had when I saw it in August of 2020. I rated this film a 7 of 10.