So, is this some cinematic great? No, not really, but that scene where Steve Zahn is running backwards with a car is pure comedy. I don't think I've laughed like that in a long time. I watched this when it came out and it was a staple. It's one of the few movies that I have to own. Steve Zahn will always be a favorite of mine because of this movie. Seriously, just don't take it so seriously.

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, a história é mais ou menos, mas o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e mais relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom.

More like a Kevin Smith movie than Linklater. And a huge step down from Dazed. Almost as if it wasnt even the same filmmaker. Steve Zahn, Ribisi and Nicky Katt (RIP) were standouts but the others were miscast.

Many consider in one of Linklater's worst films but I think it is just wonderful. The director's signature hyper realism is on full display here and the second half is surprisingly deep. I also love all of the performances, especially Steve Zahn's.

Los Angeles is my hometown, and this is such an incredibly real depiction of life for the lower classes and the rejects. The acting is actually spot on. The situations are actually spot on. It leaves you feeling angry and empty and that's also very spot on. It reminds me of my youth, it reminds me of my social circles, it reminds me why I am who and am I why I turned out how I did. It's also a pretty damn good depiction of the different neighborhoods of greater LA. I kept looking for landmarks the whole time. The broken chain link fence at the beginning hasn't been fixed in 40 years ha.

It's a classic in my opinion

There are moments in the Bogosian script that seem at home in a Linklater film, but mostly their approaches are at odds with each other. It's far too bleak and pessimistic for Linklater.

Ce qui démarre comme l'habituel film de Richard Linklater se transforme très vite en une comédie noire, qui ne recule devant peu de choses pour traiter d'une jeunesse de banlieue perdue et en colère. SurUrbia est le genre de film qui monte crescendo et qui ne fait sens que dans ses dernières minutes, cruellement hilarantes et salvatrices. Les acteurs sont formidables (Amie Carey & Nicky Katt sont particulièrement bons) et chacun rend parfaitement hommage au texte d'Eric Bogosian, qui ne manque pas de bons mots et de phrases cinglantes. En n'incriminant personne en particulier mais juste en observant le système en place, Linklater laisse le spectateur trouver ses propres réponses. C'est ce qui rend SubUrbia aussi réussi dans sa filmographie pléthorique.

Uneven, too long, and above all frustrating to watch. While it is well-directed, smartly written, and solidly acted, I never found myself engaged in the story of "SubUrbia". Linklater has explored themes of young adults' discontent with their lives in films like "Slacker" and "Dazed and Confused" and he is very good at it, but one of the things why those themes work in these films is because of the characters. Watching "Slacker" and "Dazed", you can tell that he cares about the people he is depicting and that he likes these people. The characters in this film, however, are just so annoying and I have no affection for these people. Although some of the dialogue is very interesting and the performances are very natural, I find it difficult to connect with any of them. This might just be my least favorite Linklater film.

Another awesome entry from Linklater. Basically just a night in the lives of aimless suburbanites as they sit around, drinking in front of a convenience store, bitching about existentialism. The comedy is quite a bit darker than in things like Dazed and Confused though.

So not my kind of movie. How is this a comedy? Shoulda just given up on it, but you know how you get enough into a movie that you have to see if it can get better? Yeah, that's this movie. I think we tried this once before and bailed before that point, and I kinda wish we'd done that again.

"Idealism is guilty middle-class bullshit" Having already delivered Slacker and Dazed and Confused beforehand, Richard Linklater's third film, SubUrbia, somewhat confirmed him as a voice for the disillusioned youth and their struggling transition into adulthood. This is a common theme among his films and has lasted from his debut in 1991 to his most recent 2014 film Boyhood. It's seems to be his niche and one that will surely continue in his future endeavours. Jeff (Giovanni Ribisi), Tim (Nicky Katt) and Buff (Steve Zahn) are three aimless friends that do nothing more than hang around their all-night convenience store, drinking, eating pizza and bitching about life in general. On one particular evening, they await the arrival of old high-school friend Pony (Joyce Bartok) who is now a successful musician. As the night progresses, though, tension, jealousy and resentment grow. Taking a break from writing duties and focusing on the work of playwright (and sometime actor) Eric Bogosian, Linkater finds a project that is not unlike his own material. However, there's a slightly angrier and darker piece of work here that's a little out of Linklater's usual comfort zone. Like a lot of his films there's very little in terms of plot as it focuses on a bunch of friends hanging out and discussing their lives, the choices they've made and where their futures might lie. Again, like many Linklater films, it doesn't sound too appealing on the surface but he has a real knack for capturing natural dialogue and performances and that's where the film really finds it's feet. The always reliable Giovanni Ribisi waxes philosophical in true Linklater fashion while we have Steve Zahn lightening the mood in a film that's predominantly concerned with pessimistic conversation. Linklater, once again, has a good eye and feel for small town, Texan mentality and he films with a colourful vibrancy whereby many scenes and exchanges of dialogue could have been cut and pasted directly into Dazed and Confused and they'd appear seamless. The sticking point of the whole affair, however, is the running time; it's just shy of the two hour mark and you do get the feeling that characters overstay their welcome, particularly as the tone of the material gets darker and more depressing. That being said, this is still another enjoyable outing from Linklater. A sharp and observant character piece that fits comfortably into Linklater cannon of films and once again showcases his ability to capture the disenchanted, cynical youth on the periphery of society. It's one that fans of his will not be disappointed in. Mark Walker

Linklater knows too much it scares me

...decent movie. pretty nice cast but too bad steve zahn is that terrible!

This is a well-acted and well-written film, but if I ever encountered these characters in real life, I'd get as far away from them as possible.

The pointlessness of the lives of losers? What is the point? Well acted.

"SubUrbia" is a 1990's indie film that is fun, raw and in many ways true to life. What I loved about this film is that it showcased and explored that uncertain gray area that is in between adolescence and adulthood. The transitionary phase that some take much longer than others to get out of and that some people never grow out of. "SubUrbia" has a talented cast and a very good script that, for me, was relatable. The characters in the film were so different from each other, yet all shared a common bond. They all grew up together and were each at a sort of crossroads waiting for change. The fascinating thing about Richard Linklater's "SubUrbia" is that currently (2014) it is not available on DVD or Blu-Ray. You can find some copies of VHS online, or what I did was stream it on Amazon instant video. Thank goodness there are digital versions of this 90's gem available. I highly recommend downloading this unique film and experiencing it.

A story so simple, yet very touching, excellent performances, and a strong soundtrack makes this a movie you can't get out of your mind.Some people regard this as a comedy, and maybe in the beginning you may regard some of the lines as funny, but actually this is a very tragic tale of youth and the lives they live.

Als erster Teil meines abschließenden Linklater-Marathons musste subUrbia herhalten. Auf den ersten Blick, wirkt der Film sehr sehr Linklater-ish. Eine Kleinstadt in Texas, eine Gruppe Jugendlicher, Diskussionen über die Zukunft ihrer Generation. Slacker und Dazed and Confused kommen einem in den Sinn, und tatsächlich ist einiges dieser früheren Werke hier zu finden. Kaum einer hat ein authentischeres Auge auf das Kleinstadtleben als Linklater. Kaum einer kann zwei Stunden zufälligen Nichts (randomness) ansprechender verpacken als Linklater. subUrbia zählt trotzdem nicht zu seinen beachtenswerteren Filmen. Erstens zerstört er die Linklater-Formel im dritten Akt, in dem dann doch noch etwas passiert, das ganze erreicht sogar tragödische Ausmaße. So etwas ist völlig fehl am Platz in Linklaters Kleinstadtstudien der Trostlosigkeit. subUrbia begeht den gleichen Fehler wie so viele Filme mit ähnlicher Thematik. Statt einfach darzustellen was und wie die Protagonisten Leben und ihre Probleme zu begutachten, wendet sich der Blick auf eine verlorene Generation einem erfundenen Seifenoper-Geschehnis zu. Was den Film vielleicht hätte retten können, wären talentierte Schauspieler, bis auf Giovanni Ribisi (noch ohne nervige Stimme) sind allerdings keine zu sehen. Steve Zahn spielt einen totalen Vollidioten, der sonst nicht viel zu tun bekommt, und die beiden essentiellen, und wahrscheinlich schwierigsten Rollen des Rockstars Pony und des Army-Veteranen und Alkoholikers Tim sind furchtbar besetzt. Sehr viel mehr ist über subUrbia auch gar nicht mehr zu schreiben. Der Film stellt eine Ausnahme im Werk Linklaters dar - ein kleines, recht persönliches Werk, das trotzdem nicht wirklich gut ist. PS: Die größte Überraschung bot sich mir in den Opening Credites: Production Designer - Catherine Hardwicke, die Regisseurin von Filmen wie Twilight und Red Riding Hood, war in den 90er Jahren Setdesigner von etlichen Indie-Produktionen.

I love this film. I love how it captures the resentment and tension between young friends that can erupt unexpectedly over a night of booze and mayhem. In a way, Suburbia is kind of the inverse of the overrated Boyhood. It captures just how hard growing up can be.