Suburbicon is simple accounting. Addition and subtraction layered over interactions between parties. Like an account book, its appearance is straightforward; cookie-cutter like the 1950’s suburbs in which it takes place. At the first glance of the ledger, everything may appear as in order, but George Clooney and the Coen Brothers made sure that these books were cooked. A thinly veiled plot of deception is filed between the pages of love and family against the heated background of the desegregation of America.

In a way, there isn’t much to say about Surbibicon that wouldn’t give it away, so i’ll have to be rather vague. In the heat following desegregation, a local community gets its first Black family. Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, a White family is working through the trials of recovery from a car accident that left the mother in a wheelchair. If you haven’t seen the trailer, do yourself a favor and skip it, it gives a bit too much away. I like to think of the film as simple math, A + B = C. It plugs in some simple variables like, good actors, good story, simple shots, and simple sets. Nothing too flashy, everything in its place. There are few surprises, but the message isn’t in what transpires in and of itself, but how even the most evil acts can be misinterpreted or ignored in the face of maintaining the status quo. Honestly, the film doesn’t take a direct line to that point, instead drawing the line between what is happening and how it is perceived, and this proves to be the most entertaining aspect of the film.

The acting is subtle and superb, as expected of Matt Damon and Julianne Moore, but also from child actors Noah Jupe and Tony Espinosa, and finally Karimah Westbrook who walked the fine line of dignity and grace under fire. The editing and screenplay are also tight and to the point, but follow heavily trodden trail the Coen Brothers are known for. Basically, there isn’t anything new here, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a nice scenic drive down Woke Street, though Clooney and Co. seem to be pessimistic of America’s ability to become woke. A community at odds will blame the cause of their woes on the new unknown factor.

While the film isn’t boring, it certainly doesn’t feel like a must see. It feels like it would have been right at home on Netflix or Amazon. It offers nothing in terms of style or design, no special for the eyes, but it certainly was food for thought. The final message was important, but it comes to fruition with little fanfare, as if by matter of fact. Referring back to my earlier analogy, the film is simple math and offers as many surprises as 2 + 2. But, that simple math is disrupted by the complicated, parallel nature of Black + White, Good + Evil, Love + Hate.

~* 8/10 *~