Lurking in Suburbia

This film was a major find among the soup that passes for comedy these days. Found it at my Blockbuster in new releases and picked it up thinking I'd give it a shot. Wow. Although it appears this film was made as one of those indie shoestring types, the quality that shines through makes it top on my list of great films seen so far this year.

You get to follow this main character, Connie, around the 24 hours surrounding his birthday, seeing him get in and out of painfully funny scenarios and realize why he and most of his generation have a hard time committing to growing up. I don't think it matters how old you are - everyone can relate to not wanting to get older or things to change, and this film makes you feel better about that invisible transition that has to happen. But the best thing about the film is that the ingenuous comedy overflows into honest and heartfelt scenes, creating that perfect balance of resembling real life and bringing home a real story that you don't usually get in most comedies. Reminding me of an early Cameron Crowe or "High Fidelity" kind of film.

The characters are recognizable instantly without being tiresome and Joe Egender, who played Connie really draws you in, I haven't seen him in other films but have a feeling we'll be hearing a lot more about this guy in the future.

Mostly what I liked about this film is that after watching it I wanted to call up my friends, go out for a beer and just hang out, soaking up whatever it is we've all grown up into. Deft writer/director Mitchell Altieri puts love into his characters, and it shows. It's one of those films when you're done watching it you just want it to continue going.

Awesome Flick! Awesome Acting! Awesome Story!

This film was my life! I'm a little older now but when I turned thirty a handful of years ago that's when I changed my life to become an adult. I got married, etc...

This movie meant a lot to me and I think it would mean a lot to many people. I showed it to my brothers and they loved it, even the youngest.

The actors were great, I got a buddy just like Sean. It's a must see, I can't say enough about it. And the Mexican landlord! The characters are all so cool.

I dig it!

Do not let the DVD art convince you it is another Lampoon title with no heart. The cast and overall story actually make for a great independent film that deserves better. As described on the case, it is a story about a man that finds himself truly evaluating his life as he turns 30 in suburbia. To make a long story short, the friendships and themes of the movie are very relevant and believable. And yes, the endless throngs of party scenes, a few naked women, and high school pranks add to the bigger theme of finding a way to be happy with the results of your decisions made in life.

A few of my customers have already set it back down on the shelf thinking it is another dumb party film with no substance, but I have actually been recommending it so now I am going to have to order more. Some people do not like any film with the main character narrating to the viewer while on-screen, but they actually pulled this one off well enough to where you believe the background people are not hearing it.

As to what I meant regarding the DVD art, I have always been frustrated when the DVDs I carry have different art than the actual film represents to try and make it sell...(the cheerleaders are not the ones in the film, the two gals wearing bras and pouring drinks on the back cover - never happens, the hot gal in the inside cover art is never in the film, and "unrated" doesn't mean you see anything more than a standard "R" film).

I think you will laugh quite a few times, hear some decent modern music, affirm the life lessons and pitfalls shown as being very real and the film can make one wish they had friends like that through their own life...and as always with some of these independents (the deleted scene cuts are dated) it shows how long it can take for some of these films to make it to distribution (over three years for this one). Very good ending and be sure to watch through all of the credits.

I hated this movie, from the first minute to the last - truth be told the last minute I watched was at about the 60 minute mark, during the party. I didn't expect much from this movie, but man, did I get less! The characters are so obvious and clichéd, same as the story. A movie about a party animal and his immature friends is nothing new, and the ones where one of them suddenly realises his crazy lifestyle must come to an end are just as old. That scene at the beginning where they are sitting in the back of the truck drinking from a keg was sssooooo lame I wanted to smash my TV. And the sex-crazed friend character was worthy of a bullet. The way this movie has the main character spouting used bullshit at the camera about the pressures and responsibilities of the real world ( some of the statements are almost true ) while at the same time showing the friends o-so-casually carrying out crazy pranks without batting their eyelids makes me want to puke. Try some originality next time

Don't waste your time. All the 'reviews' that gave this turkey 9 or 10 stars were written by 'members' who had coincidentally ALL been members for thirteen years! And all of them had in their thirteen year memberships only ever reviewed one film. Yep. Utter fakes made up for and/or by the makers of the film...

If people are so insecure about their product that they need to resort to fake profiles and fake reviews then I just assume that their creation isn't worth bothering with.

I don't get how people still think it's a smart idea to do this. Anybody with an ounce of intelligence can see through this blatant hucksterism. It can only put us potential viewers of in the long run.

I urge the makers of these independent films not to resort to unethical parctices to try and convince us of their movie's merit.