X
- 1984
- R
- New World Pictures
- 1 h 34 m
- 1984
- R
- New World Pictures
- 1 h 34 m
Summary When household tensions and a sense of worthlessness overcome Evan, he finds escape when he clings with the orphans of a throw-away society.
Directed By: Penelope Spheeris
Written By: Penelope Spheeris
- 1984
- R
- New World Pictures
- 1 h 34 m
- 1984
- R
- New World Pictures
- 1 h 34 m
Suburbia
73
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
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Where to Watch
Summary When household tensions and a sense of worthlessness overcome Evan, he finds escape when he clings with the orphans of a throw-away society.
Directed By: Penelope Spheeris
Written By: Penelope Spheeris
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 8 Critic Reviews
73
100% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 8 Critic Reviews
73
100% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Suburbia has the attitude and exploitation kicks of other films about youth rebellion, including more than a few Cormans, but Spheeris’ fidelity to the real L.A. scene—including performances by non-actors and musicians like Flea, who appears with a pet rat—compensates for some contrivances in the writing.
In the end, Suburbia’s greatest strength lies in its assertion of youth as a political state of mind.
The antithesis to the parent-friendly punks of Valley Girl, director Penelope Spheeris' stark, sobering look at the new generation gap pits aging California hippies against their disillusioned kids.
Compassion and sociological acuity can only take a film so far, however, and clunky dialogue, comically broad supporting characters, and often-amateurish acting sabotage much of Suburbia's plot-and-dialogue-heavy second half. But it still shows enormous empathy and sensitivity in capturing the angst and alienation of American youth, making it seem both rooted in a specific time and place and strangely timeless.
All the kids are believable and Suburbia's shortcomings are mostly in its script, not in its characterizations. [11 Feb 1984, p.G1]
A justifiably angry film, fast and full of violent action, though there's plenty of humour too; and the lack of originality is amply compensated for by its manifest sincerity.
Probably the best teen-agers-in-revolt movie since Jonathan Kaplan's Over the Edge.
User Reviews
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Production Company
Suburbia Productions
Release Date Apr 13, 1984
Duration 1 h 34 m
Rating R
Tagline A New Movie ... About A New Generation.
Awards
Chicago International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
