Subdivisions

Today I thought I would discuss another one of my favorite movies, The Burbs. Released in 1989, it remains one of Tom Hanks' most underappreciated roles. I know some people may snicker at that statement, but some people are morons. This movie is straight-up funny. The plot is simple enough: strange family moves into the neighborhood, weird things happen, and the neighbors begin to think they are up to no good. One could delve into the undercurrents of the movie, such as the pressure of conformity present in many middle-class communities, or the pent-up desire for excitement in otherwise dull existences, but that's not really necessary here. It is poking fun at those manifestations of the suburbs, but here weird characters are king, summed up by one of the garbagemen in one scene: "I hate cul-de-sacs. There's only one way out, and the people are kind of weird." All of them, even Hanks' character Ray, exhibit quirks that likely stem from the madness of repetitive behaviors. Fortunately for us, these quirks are portrayed with brilliant comic touch by the entire cast.

Admittedly, I have run across few people who enjoy this movie as much as I. My old roommate Jeremy is one of those few. I knew we would get along when he told me he had mapped out the cul-de-sac in which the action takes place. To us, knowing exactly where Art's house sat in relation to his neighbors only added to the humor. Don't ask me why.

The dialog is top notch. You just can't beat a movie with lines such as, "There go the goddamn brownies!," "Shut up and paint your goddamn house!," or "Ray, do you want 'em to take your family, tear their livers out and make some kind of satanic pâté?" This one may be the line I quote most, however:



The movie is also blessed with great physical humor, as this scene exemplifies:



I won't give any more of the plot away, for those of you who have not seen it. Do yourself a solid, and take a trip to The Burbs. For some of you, I venture the trip is not that far.

Transmission out.