Suburbicon reviews

LizzyNY wrote:Because PAN posted a Guardian article that suggested George might want to get into politics because his recent movies (including "Suburbicon") have been flops.

party animal - not! wrote:Totally agree with you, Lizzy. I think the Guardian's film man was just looking for a different angle which, as it happens, seems a little kinder in a non-review kind of way.

In fact I'm wondering if the European critics may be less vociferous in their critiques given they slightly removed from the situation and folks here may be more inquisitive......

You never know!  

LizzyNY wrote:Ladybug - I haven't seen the movie. The way it looks now, I probably won't see it until it comes out on dvd or is shown on tv. I like his movies, but the more I learn about this one  the less I feel like it's my kind of film - or at least not the kind of film I'm in the mood for right now. Not judging the quality of the movie - just saying it doesn't seem like a film I'd enjoy, so I'm not going to go out of my way to see it.

As far as his movies being  "flops", that's the word the Guardian used.  This isn't a review of "Suburbicon". They just say that his recent movies, haven't been massive hits (although they've gotten a lot of promotion). So the Guardian suggests he might want to look to politics for a new career.

Donnamarie wrote:Ladybug, it was my intention to see the film this past weekend.  I see all of George’s movies when they come out.  This is the first one in many years that I didn’t get to see in the theatre. Unfortunately all the theatres around me have pulled the film.  It had only been out three weeks!  So now I’m going to have to wait until it is available on Amazon and dvd.  I suspect a lot of our American posters are going to have the same problem.  Our European posters hopefully will get out to see it and talk about it here.

I don’t think any of us can disregard all of the negative reviews.  There is something that either George got wrong or maybe most people just aren’t getting.   But if most people can’t appreciate George’s vision and execution of ‘Suburbicon’ why is that?  I do think some critics and moviegoers like to pile on and trash George’s work .... just because he is who he is.   I remember when ‘The American’ came out and wasn’t reviewed positively by many critics.  I loved it.  I thought it was one of George’s best roles and the story and cinematography were great.  But it was obviously not a movie for most people’s taste.  I think there is more going on with the overall reaction to ‘Suburbicon’.

I agree with amaretti .... George is really talented, especially as an actor.   And he has a lot to say about what’s going on in our world.  I want George to succeed in the business that he loves so much.  He loves directing.  Ultimately he’s got to do a better job of successfully translating his vision to the big screen.

party animal - not! wrote:I don't believe for one minute George would run for president, but journalists' surmisings seem to have been a useful distraction. Wonder how that came about.......

I don't believe he will concentrate solely on his philanthropic work either - he seems to be a brilliant multi-tasker - but he may be facing problems on that front too.

Lebanon seems to be becoming politically unstable - as if four million refugees in a country of two and half million people is not enough in a country of three million.  

The Prime Minister has fled the country fearing assassination and both Saudi Arabia and Iran and Hezbollah seem to be involved.

Let us hope it stabilises quickly so that the Clooney Foundation can continue their work...........

party animal - not! wrote:In the UK. Release date as mentioned is November 24

party animal - not! wrote:More good stuff - including the Mail!

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Way2Old4Dis wrote:So, how did they write 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' which, BTW, I read at least once a year because it's one of my favorite screenplays, ever? One, it was lightning in a bottle. But also, I think they were writing with a lot more anxiety than they have now, and anxiety makes writers strive for perfection and reluctantly settle for excellence.

Doug Ross wrote:Matt defended George, saying what we already thought, that the reviews were personal attack to George:

Guerrasio: Now that's what makes what you put out this year quite a feat. Both "Downsizing" and "Suburbicon" are very challenging movies, but a big studio, Paramount, released both of them.
Damon: Yeah. And I hope this one does better than "Suburbicon." I mean, I wouldn’t change a frame of "Suburbicon."


Guerrasio: I’ll be 100% honest with you, I wasn't totally into "Suburbicon" —
Damon: Many felt the same way.


Guerrasio: But what I will say is I love it when you do the off-the-rail roles. 
Damon: I did back-to-back-to-back "The Martian," "The Great Wall," "Jason Bourne," and George called in the middle of making "Jason Bourne" and it really was a chance to work with George that interested me. But I love the concept of the movie. As you say, it was really something different. I had never been able to do something like that. 


Guerrasio: When the movie comes out and isn't the reaction you guys obviously were hoping for, can you just move on? Or are you a person that at 2 AM has to go online and read the reviews?
Damon: In that situation it's easier for me than George. He spent two years on it and it does sting. It was made for a price. It's a calculated miss, but it sucks. And nowadays, when the reviews come out, it's almost like the reviewers are trying to one-up each other to see how creatively they can abuse a movie. And when movies are made in good faith you can tell. You can tell when one is a cash grab and one is not. And you may not like the movie, but you can see when it's crafted at a certain level. I think it deserves a different level of review. 

Guerrasio: Well, we do live in a world where the headline rules all.
Damon: Yes! Exactly. And I thought the reviews were oddly personal in terms of how they attacked George. Julianne [Moore] and I, we were kind of let off the hook, but they really went after George. 
Guerrasio: And I think some of that is people respect his work as a director, so when they see something like this movie they are kind of in shock how much of a swing and miss it was.
Damon: Yeah, but then say that! I get that. But you also want people to take big swings because sometimes they connect. 


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Donnamarie wrote:Thanks Doug Ross for the post.  Really interesting thoughts from Matt and telling how he felt George takes the criticism personally in a way that Matt as an actor doesn’t. From George’s interviews about ‘Suburbicon’ he seemed really proud of this film and had a strong sense of its point of view.  I imagine the harsh reviews must have been rough for George to read.  Got to have a thick skin to shake it off and move on.

What Would He Say wrote:Oh George.... the darkest hour is just before dawn....  

He has to take it personally, he has to feel the pain the irritation and even question his own motives and the results there of.....

HE HAS TO ..... because if he doesn’t go through all those emotions he won’t come out stronger, more creative a better man....

You have to go through the fire to come out tougher... In years to come he may look back and say this was part of what made him better and better... 

Personally, for me, I hope so.... I perceived he was slowing down, embracing the Old Chairman of Hollywood mantle enjoying it just a bit too much for my liking....
Now he is like a young buck again, George back on his boys couch, rising up out the door ready to prove himself again.... He has to, no one can do it for him, he is self employed and at the back of the audition line.... he has to nudge Hanks, Brosnan, Pitt all other actors out of the way....He has to get the movies every other Director wants to direct.... 

I know you will say he has a loaded bank account doesn’t need the roles or the screenplays?....yep your right.....

But he needs his name back.... He needs George Clooney back in the room.... back from ground zero....back comes the Hero.....

The old saying “leave them wanting more”.....right now if he leaves no one will notice..... He has to start again, he has been through much, make it worth it, build on it....make your past count for something, the good and the bad are all building blocks of the same size.... it’s what you do with them that counts.....