MovieChat Forums > SubUrbia (1997) Discussion > A couple reasons why this movie just ain...

A couple reasons why this movie just aint workin for me


Not much of the social interactions in this are very beleivable, I dont think anyone would actually like the outright self absorbed *beep* in this movie.

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Steve Zahn is *beep* ANNOYING. I would...jesus man, he's awful in this, so awful

Giovanni Ribisi's girlfriend is a horribly executed character. Oh my god *beep* her ridiculous poetic rant, im watching it right now, and allow my misogynoustic tendencies to come out...what a DUMB BITCH. I cant stand this character, awful too...And they honestly must have attempted to make her as nonattractive as possible

I want to like this movie, but its just not working

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Yeah, I have to agree with you winter. I was up late last night and this movie was on cable. I found it to be awful. All of the self-absorbed whiners complaining about their going nowhere lives. It was really annoying. This movie just shows that people just can't take responsibility for their actions or their lives. Seriously, if your life is that bad, stand up and take responsibility for where you are!!! Make changes!!! The only character that I had any respect for was Pony, because he made a choice to do something with his life. I think that all of the others were just pissed off and jealous of him- but it all goes back to the same thing- stop whining and take the bull by the horns. I was really dissapointed because I really like Eric Bogosian. It just seemed to be more of the same BS that has been going on here in the US for a long time- blame other people instead of taking responsibility for where you are in life and what you do with the opportunities that are given too you!!!

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"Yeah, I have to agree with you winter. I was up late last night and this movie was on cable. I found it to be awful. All of the self-absorbed whiners complaining about their going nowhere lives. It was really annoying. This movie just shows that people just can't take responsibility for their actions or their lives. Seriously, if your life is that bad, stand up and take responsibility for where you are!!! Make changes!!! The only character that I had any respect for was Pony, because he made a choice to do something with his life. I think that all of the others were just pissed off and jealous of him- but it all goes back to the same thing- stop whining and take the bull by the horns. I was really dissapointed because I really like Eric Bogosian. It just seemed to be more of the same BS that has been going on here in the US for a long time- blame other people instead of taking responsibility for where you are in life and what you do with the opportunities that are given too you!!!"

Maybe you just didn't get the point of the film? There was no blame game and the film perfectly depicted the self-infliction of the "protagonists." But, also, it shows the type of dismal environment that breeds that kind of apathetic world view -- namely the suburbs.

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I think you're kind of missing some of the irony about Sooze. She wants to be a feminist, but she has no idea what it even means. She spouts endless crap but then ends up sleeping with a guy to try and get somewhere, hoping for something from him instead of being able to get it herself. She embodies the total *beep* of "girl power." Her character triggers misogyny in most viewers, especially in the expectation that she should be hot-- which makes her feminism all the more ironic.

She's a really depressing character, IMO.

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This film is brilliant. If you grew up around people like this, you get it.If not, you don't. It's really as simple as that. People trying to find their way, their place in the world at that age.

One guy comes back and has made it, and everyone else is jealous.

Some can relate...I may be one of those. ;) Being 28 in a couple of weeks
I most certainly can.

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it is an awesome movie, but i do agree that you kind of have to have lived it to get it.

"when these pro baseball players would come back, they would only stick to a few friends they had, and they certainly wouldn't roll up to the guys hanging out at the convinience store."

but we're not dealing with a baseball jock in pony's case. we're dealing with an ex-complete "geek", who is now the epithany of cool "i.e rockstar", and who naturally gravitates toward the people he thought were cool and badass when he was a geeky teenager.

as for the whole "they're so whiny" part.... yes and no. for better or worse, this movie is about people trying to make sense out of the world. so are the suburbs and environment that breed apathy and whining? yes.

are all the character whiny? buff doesn't have anything to complain about, neither does pony. they represent the unthinking mass. they are content with the way things are because they're too oblivious to question the world around them.

is tim whiny? i don't think so. he's not right, but he thinks he'S got it all figured out, and is angry and acting out. so is sooze ironically, although they are kind of opposite ends of the spectrum.

so where does that leave jeff? well, jeff is just smart enough to figure out that a lot of stuff happening out there is just plain outright wrong, but he hasn't matured enough to realize that he cannot bear all of the world's weight on his shoulder, and that although he probably won't change the world, saddling up and trying to do his part is still better than not doing anything.

and believe me, suburbia is not the ideal environment for "growing up", maturing, making a man out of yourself etc.... you can spend many a years wandering around the suburbs before finally getting that dose of reality needed to have an epiphany...

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