Lurking in Suburbia

After watching this film, I was excited that it wasn't just another comedy that had no meaning. This film actually made me care about the characters in the film and the storyline was true to life.

Most comedies are carbon copies of one another. I love the fact that this film took it a step above. It wasn't one fart joke or pot smoking joke after another. It actually made real life funny, which to me makes the difference, and had me laughing non-stop!

Watching a film about morons with no plot maybe for some but this film is about morons with a great story behind it. It's definitely worth your time! The characters are great, the story is real, and most of all it's not a copy of anything lame.

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 recently watched "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," then "Grandma's Boy," which I though were both great comedies. So I go to the movie store and come across another one of these low budget films thinking it will be just as funny as the others... My mistake allowed me to add another one of those "I just wasted an hour and a half of my life" movies to the list.

This movie probably isn't all that bad... if you can relate to being 30 years old and still not holding a job, and partying in the same small suburbia town with the same folks you have continuously partied with since high school. But it just seems like the movie is trying to turn all of those funny personal jokes that you had with your friends back in the day into movie punchlines, which all fail pretty miserably. The movie also goes at an incredibly slow pace at the beginning which leaves you a bit bored, and some of the script seems a little too uninteresting for a comedy.

But on a positive note, there were definitely parts we can all relate to, and some parts that do make you laugh a bit; and it does finish faster paced and a little more on the redeeming side; however, In the end, the movie is just not near as funny as any of the quotes on the sleeve make it sound.

So unless someone has already rented it and it's laying on the coffee table, save your money for something else.

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!