The response to George Clooney’s latest drama, the Coen brothers-penned “Suburbicon” has been mixed to say the least. Our own Jessica Kiang called it “Coen brothers karaoke,” but at the end of the day gave it a review perhaps a little bitt more charitable writing, “‘Suburbicon’ has two storylines, the funny one about white people killing each other and the serious one about real-life-inspired black people stoically resisting injustice and they are separate, not equal.” And note she says the cinematography of Robert Elswit (“There Will Be Blood,” “Inherent Vice”) is aces, so there’ that.
READ MORE: ‘Suburbicon’ Finds George Clooney Doing Coen Brothers Karaoke [Venice Review]
The response from Venice was cordial enough, but response from TIFF has certainly been a little less polite. Here’s a few cutting ones.
SUBURBICON: finally, a film that dares to ask, "what if the Coens were really bad at this?"
— Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse) September 8, 2017
Kanye has admitted in interviews that he saves all the good beats for his own albums. I guess the Coens have a similar policy?
— Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse) September 8, 2017
Suburbicon (Clooney): Yeah…there's a reason the Coens didn't direct this. #Venezia74
— Robbie Collin (@robbiereviews) September 2, 2017
George Clooney’s ‘Suburbicon’ is bizarrely tone-deaf https://t.co/jOlFD393nr pic.twitter.com/iQLNySNlcD
— Social Media Promo (@SocMedPromo) September 9, 2017
Perhaps trying to get ahead of that impending narrative when negative TIFF tweets turn into poorly-received reviews, Paramount has released a new trailer of the film touting its most glowing and positive reviews.
READ MORE: 50 Most Anticipated Films: Fall Movie Preview
Here’s the synopsis:
Suburbicon is a peaceful, idyllic suburban community with affordable homes and manicured lawns…the perfect place to raise a family, and in the summer of 1959, the Lodge family is doing just that. But the tranquil surface masks a disturbing reality, as husband and father Gardner Lodge (Matt Damon) must navigate the town’s dark underbelly of betrayal, deceit, and violence. This is a tale of very flawed people making very bad choices. This is Suburbicon.
This isn’t the first time, Clooney’s tried muggy Coen-y material, outside his collaborations with those masters. “Leatherheads” certainly has a similar Coen-esque tone, but this picture looks like it leans on the pitch-black side of their askew sense of humor.
Starring Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, Oscar Isaac as least seems to have received some raves across the board. Whatever you ultimately think of the movie, and I’m certainly still curious, you can probably at least agree its new poster, which you can see below, is design perfection.
Admittedly, the trailer is pretty damn funny too. Weigh in and let us know what you think.
