SubUrbia (1996)

A group of suburbian teenagers try to support each other through the difficult task of becoming adults. Loosely based on the life of Eric the scriptwriter of the film.

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writers:

Eric Bogosian (play), Eric Bogosian (screenplay)

Stars:

Jayce Bartok, Amie Carey, Giovanni Ribisi

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jayce Bartok	...	Pony
Amie Carey	...	Sooze
Nicky Katt	...	Tim
Ajay Naidu	...	Nazeer Choudhury
Parker Posey	...	Erica
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Jeff
Samia Shoaib	...	Pakeesa Choudhury
Dina Waters	...	Bee-Bee (as Dina Spybey)
Steve Zahn	...	Buff
Kitt Brophy	...	Sooze's Mom
Jonn Cherico	...	Shopping Channel Host
Keith Preusse	...	Officer Chip
Eric Park	...	Officer Gary
William Martin Hayes	...	Scuff
Bill Wise	...	George the Limo Driver

Storyline

Five young losers spend their days and nights wasting their lives away, hanging out in parking lots and occasionally mentioning that they might want to make something of themselves... someday. On this particular night, they are visited by an old high school friend who has escaped their suburban town to become a pop star.

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Plot Keywords:

friend | parking lot | hanging out | convenience store | rock star | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language including sex and drug references, teen drinking and brief nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 February 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

subUrbi@

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$69,365 (USA) (7 February 1997)

Gross:

$482,665 (USA) (14 March 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment, Detour Filmproduction

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sonic Youth wrote "Sunday" for this film in 1996. A re-recorded version of this song appears on their 1998 album "A Thousand Leaves."

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Quotes

Jeff: It doesn't matter what I do as long as I don't care about the results. And that's why now, I'm getting naked.

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Crazy Credits

Filmed entirely on location in Burnfield, USA (Burnfield was the fictional city.)

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Connections

Referenced in Seinfeld: The English Patient (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Candle"
Written and Performed by Sonic Youth
Courtesy of DGC Records

User Reviews

Too harsh for the masses...

If you like 90 minute movies (over the course which each character becomes a better person), characters with whom you can deeply sympathize, complete resolution of all conflicts, and happy endings, don't rent this. subUrbia is too harsh, too honest, and too painful.

Ribisi and Katt are amazing. Katt was great as the wisecracking "Stacy" in the movie The Limey, a role similar to his in subUrbia (Tim). Overall, the characters are too angry, poisonous, and disillusioned to be likeable. I didn't find this to be a bad thing, however.

Adding to the numbing ache of the movie is the fantastic score- Sonic Youth's droning guitars and a nihilistic soundtrack all add to the depression in Linklater/Begosian's Burnfield. Enjoy. Or not.