I watched SUBURBICON, the new movie directed by George Clooney, in a screening at the WGA theater this Saturday and I can say that the film leaves a lot to be desired. Despite the exquisite art direction and first-rate cast, the script --writen by the masters Cohen bros, Clooney and Grant Heslov -- the film is superficial. If Clooney had chosen to make it a macabre comedy, like many of the Cohen films, it might have been interesting. Or, if he had gone deeper into the drama, it could also generate a more appealing narrative. Unfortunately SUBURBICON does not stink nor enebriate us with perfum. On second thought, it smells bad. All the characters are maniqueistically shallow; they are obvious and unidemensional. The residents of SUBURBICON are a bunch of vociferous racists; the black family, victim of persecution, are shown as more immaculate than the holy family; on the other hand the characters that act in the house of Matt Damon and Juliane Moore, are all degenerate and pathetic, with exception of the boy, Nicolas. The American suburbs of the 1940s and 1950s are territories full of symbolisms and meanings important for the understanding of American life from then until the present day. Regrettably the director chose not to take advantage of this in his movie. More luck and more work on the script next time, George.
