Greener Grass

Actors, writers and directors Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe collaborated with this black comedy set in suburbia where adults has peculiar habits and wear braces over their straight teeth.

During a recent Q/A session, DeBoer and Luebbe explained that the story came from their short film, "Greener Grass" and worked on a low budget. They said that films of David Lynch, John Waters and 1960s and 1970s landscape photography was an influence.

Visually the film is reminiscent of 1980s fashion aesthetics and seems like an infomercials from the 1990s. Both actors initially met in New York with the comedy team, the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

I never expected any movie to be this blatantly weird, but here it is. This black comedy from Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe (neither of whom I had ever heard of before now) shows all sorts of tensions arising in a gaudy suburban neighborhood. And by gaudy I mean that their clothes are an assault on the senses. There's bound to be something that'll go awry.

Whether you interpret "Greener Grass" as a parody of suburban gothic (the genre that includes "The Ice Storm" and "American Beauty") or a straightforward, unabashedly bizarre comedy, it's one to enjoy. I'm surprised that they were able to get funding, given the oddball, less-than-profitable nature of the story.

The only cast members whom I recognized were SNL cast members Beck Bennett and John Milhiser, as well as D'Arcy Carden (Janet on "The Good Place").

This is by far one of the craziest movies I've ever seen, and I loved every moment of it. The surrealness of the humor, the crazy colored costume design, and the hilarious performances make this something special. A lot of the people who reviewed this on the lower half seem to have misunderstood what the movie was supposed to be. It turns what seems to be nonsense into amazing story arcs. I found myself laughing VERY hard at the strangest moments, the whole world that this movie sets up is mind boggling. Putting politeness over having any confrontation in the most extreme circumstances. The uncomfortableness of the whole neighborhood and every person in it makes this movie a whole lot of fun. I wish there were more movies that could make me burst out laughing with showing some kids flaunting knives. This is one of the few movies that deserves the cult status shorty after releasing. The whole cast is great, I can't wait to see what the writer/director duo come up with next

Yeah this movie is messed up.

A dark comedy/horror on Hulu. The story was about a dystopian suburbia where people were super civilized, and it was mostly from the perspective of a soccer mom.

Gotta say this was one of the weirdest comedies I have ever watched. Throughout the movie, there was always a sense that I was watching people in an ideal world: the screen was a bit bright, the characters were nice to each other, always dress in pairs, and more.

The overarching theme of the movie was a satire on society, and what is considered the norm in that society. Most of the comedy came from the outlandish and uncomfortable things that the characters did that, while very deviant in real life, were very within the norm in this suburbia. The movie was jam-packed with social commentaries, satires, and symbols in every scene and dialogue. Some were straight-up disturbing, which made me agree that this movie is a horror. The satires were scary because they were true and relatable.

My only problem was that it felt like a collection of skits. At some points it felt like the story was not progressing.

Overall, an entertaining and disturbing movie. It will not be for everyone, as some might be very uncomfortable, or even offended. 8.5/10.

Greetings again from the darkness. Opening Night at the Oak Cliff Film Festival ... a time to hold your breath while preparing for a unique movie experience. Yep, it happens every year - and this year, the festival's 8th, may be the most fun yet. Our Thursday night treat for 2019 comes courtesy of co-writers, co-directors, co-producers, and co-stars Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe. These two highly creative filmmakers have expanded their award-winning 2015 short film (same title) to feature length instant comedic classic ... and one surely to garner a cult following (just follow the laughter).

Ms. DeBoer stars as Jill and Ms. Luebbe is Lisa. They are best friends, neighbors, and passive-aggressive competitors in a manner only seen in today's suburban settings. Think of THE STEPFORD WIVES or Seaside in THE TRUMAN SHOW, and then toss in color-coordinated family attire, golf carts for transportation, and braces on the teeth of every adult. More warped than idyllic, the wacky level of politeness is a source of comedy, and there are some gems during many of the segments. Consistent laughter in the nearly full Texas Theatre meant concentration was required to avoid missing the next killer line.

Oh yes ... the killer. A stalker/possible serial killer is a menace that hovers in the background through most of the film. The threat is mostly teased as our locals go about unwittingly poking fun at soccer, baseball, yoga, accelerated classes, layered dips and music lessons. The self-imposed pressures of this existence are evident in both parents and kids - especially kids who watch unapproved TV shows like "Kids with Knives".

Lest you think all of the comedy is derived from the two leads, know that Beck Bennett ("Saturday Night Live") plays Jill's husband, and Neil Casey plays Lisa's significant other. Both are hilarious in contrasting styles, and Mary Holland is a hoot as the recent red-haired divorcee Kim Ann, and it's D'Arcy Carden ("The Good Place") who is the real scene stealer as Miss Human, the slightly-off second grade teacher. Julian Hilliard is immediately recognizable as young Luke from "The Haunting of Hill House", and here he plays Julian, who is likely to make your own adolescent child's transformation pale in comparison.

Is there an easier target for satire than suburbia ... other than the current political climate, of course? Where do we look for happiness? A friend's husband? The neighbor's house? Someone else's baby? While fake flowers abound and represent the dream of exterior perfection, it should be noted that I only counted 2 f-bombs in the whole movie. The humor, though quite absurd and sometimes teasing the line with horror, is basically squeaky clean - an approach that helps it stand out in an era of today's raunchy comedies trying to out-raunch each other. After playing Sundance, it's likely to join the best comedies in the love-hate category. If you enjoy slightly demented social commentary, there is a good chance you'll find humor here ... though I keep drawing a blank trying to come up with a movie comparison. Perhaps that's the best compliment that can be offered.