The 'Burbs (1989)



Movie Title: The 'Burbs

Year Released: 1989

Rated: PG

Runtime: 1h 41min

Genre: Comedy, Mystery, Thriller

Director: Joe Dante

Writer: Dana Olsen

Starring: Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, Brother Theodore, Courtney Gains, Gale Gordon, Dick Miller, Robert Picardo, Cory Danziger, Franklyn Ajaye, Rance Howard

Review: Suburbanite Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is looking forward to a nice vacation at home. But soon things go from relaxation to investigation as Ray and the rest of the block try to determine if the new neighbors are just strange or truly sinister.

Director Joe Dante (Gremlins, Piranha) and writer Dana Olsen created a comedy that has reached cult classic status thanks to its silly tone, witty dialogue, and macabre sense of humor. Hanks brings his patented "Everyman" appeal, and with a truly talented ensemble cast featuring Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, Brother Theodore, Courtney Gains, Gale Gordon, Robert Picardo, and the legendary Dick Miller, The 'Burbs doesn't disappoint.

I love this movie! It's probably my favorite Joe Dante movie, which is not an easy choice since his film-making credits are so incredibly smart, memorable, and entertaining. I think the true appeal of the The 'Burbs is the premise of what you would do if strange new neighbors moved in on your block and the various thoughts, questions, and concerns you might have with new additions to the ol' neighborhood. You know, questions like... "Who are they?", "Where did they come from?", "Are they gonna do something about their lawn?", "Did they take our dog and use it as a sacrifice in some sort of satanic ritual?", you know, stuff like that.

With great characters, quotable lines, and hilarious sequences of noisy neighbors run amok, The 'Burbs keeps you guessing on which side of the fence the weirdos are actually on. So if your looking for a comedy that's also got some thrills, chills and slapstick spills, then call the "Pizza Dude!" and check out the The 'Burbs!

Stars (out of 4):
       

Fun Fact: According to Director Joe Dante, Tom Hanks was hesitant to do the movie because it was the first time he was playing a dad. Hanks was concerned that this would prevent him from returning to the types of roles on which he had built his career up to that point, but Dante said Hanks was willing to go along with it.



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