SubUrbia (film)
Encyclopedia
subUrbia is a 1996 comedy-drama
film written by Eric Bogosian
, based on his play of the same name
, and directed by Richard Linklater
. It follows the relationships between a few young adults as they spend their time standing on "the corner" outside a local convenience store
.
Bogosian based the story on his own experiences growing up in Woburn, Massachusetts
, a suburb of Boston
. The convenience store setting is based on the 7-11 in the "Four Corners" section of the west side of Woburn, and the high-school fight song that is sung in one scene is the actual Woburn High fight song ("Black and Orange" to the tune of "On Wisconsin").
As of January 2010, the film has yet to be released on DVD
or Blu-ray disc, but is readily available on VHS
video tape and via Netflix instant streaming.
, five young adults are in the daily habit of hanging out by a garbage dumpster on the corner of a local convenience store, occasionally taunting the foreign clerk (Ajay Naidu) who works there. The film's main character, Jeff (Giovanni Ribisi), is an aimless soul unsure of his future. Jeff is dating Sooze (Amie Carey), who has expressed the desire to leave Burnfield and become an artist. Jeff's best friends are Buff (Steve Zahn), and Tim (Nicky Katt), a troubled young honorably discharged military man who drinks too much and has a knack for shooting his mouth off. Sooze's friend Bee Bee (Dina Spybey) is a recovering alcoholic who is invited to join the group.
One evening, an old friend of theirs, Pony (Jayce Bartok), now a rock star, shows up looking to reconnect with them. Most of the group is glad to see him, although some of them are bitter and jealous of his recent success. Through actions and conversations they all contemplate what they want to do with the rest of their lives in this Generation X
release.
Other credited songs
. Roger Ebert
gave the film a positive review giving the film 3 stars out of 4, calling it "dark, intense and disturbing."
was nominated for Best Supporting Male at the 1997 Independent Spirit Awards but lost to Jason Lee
.
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film written by Eric Bogosian
Eric Bogosian
Eric Bogosian is an American actor, playwright, monologist, and novelist of Armenian descent.-Personal life:Bogosian, an Armenian-American, was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, the son of Edwina, a hairdresser and instructor, and Henry Bogosian, an accountant. After graduating from Oberlin College,...
, based on his play of the same name
SubUrbia
subUrbia is a play by Eric Bogosian chronicling the nighttime activities of a group of aimless 20-somethings still living in their suburban Boston hometown and their reunion with a former high school classmate who has become a successful musician...
, and directed by Richard Linklater
Richard Linklater
-Early life:Linklater was born in Houston, Texas. He studied at Sam Houston State University and left midway through his stint in college to work on an off-shore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. While working on the rig he read a lot of literature, but on land he developed a love of film through...
. It follows the relationships between a few young adults as they spend their time standing on "the corner" outside a local convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
.
Bogosian based the story on his own experiences growing up in Woburn, Massachusetts
Woburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
, a suburb of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. The convenience store setting is based on the 7-11 in the "Four Corners" section of the west side of Woburn, and the high-school fight song that is sung in one scene is the actual Woburn High fight song ("Black and Orange" to the tune of "On Wisconsin").
As of January 2010, the film has yet to be released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
or Blu-ray disc, but is readily available on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
video tape and via Netflix instant streaming.
Plot
Set in the suburban neighbourhood of "Burnfield" in Austin, TexasAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, five young adults are in the daily habit of hanging out by a garbage dumpster on the corner of a local convenience store, occasionally taunting the foreign clerk (Ajay Naidu) who works there. The film's main character, Jeff (Giovanni Ribisi), is an aimless soul unsure of his future. Jeff is dating Sooze (Amie Carey), who has expressed the desire to leave Burnfield and become an artist. Jeff's best friends are Buff (Steve Zahn), and Tim (Nicky Katt), a troubled young honorably discharged military man who drinks too much and has a knack for shooting his mouth off. Sooze's friend Bee Bee (Dina Spybey) is a recovering alcoholic who is invited to join the group.
One evening, an old friend of theirs, Pony (Jayce Bartok), now a rock star, shows up looking to reconnect with them. Most of the group is glad to see him, although some of them are bitter and jealous of his recent success. Through actions and conversations they all contemplate what they want to do with the rest of their lives in this Generation X
Generation X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post–World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born from the early 1960's through the early 1980's, usually no later than 1981 or...
release.
Cast
- Jayce BartokJayce BartokJayce Bartok is an American actor. A young leading man with TV and film experience, Bartok had his best chance to date as Pony, the rock star who returns to his home town where his pals are waiting in Richard Linklater's subUrbia . He wrote, directed and produced the short film Stricken in 2005...
as Pony - Giovanni RibisiGiovanni RibisiGiovanni Ribisi is an American actor. His film credits include Gone in 60 Seconds, Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, The Mod Squad, The Gift, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Lost in Translation and more recently, Public Enemies and Avatar...
as Jeff - Amie Carey as Sooze
- Nicky KattNicky KattNicholas Lea "Nicky" Katt is an American actor known for his role as unorthodox teacher Harry Senate on David E. Kelley's Fox drama Boston Public.-Career:...
as Tim - Ajay NaiduAjay NaiduAjay Kalahastri Naidu is an American actor.Naidu was born in Evanston, Illinois He attended Evanston Township High School. As an actor, he trained with the American Repertory Theater's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.His first professional acting job was the film ...
as Nazeer Choudhury - Parker PoseyParker PoseyParker Christian Posey is an American actress. She became known during the 1990s after a series of roles in several well-received independent films. As a result, she has often been referred to as the "Queen of the Indies"....
as Erica - Steve ZahnSteve Zahn-Early life:Zahn was born in Marshall, Minnesota, the son of Zelda, who worked for the YMCA, and Carleton E. Zahn, a retired Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor. Zahn spent part of his childhood in Mankato, Minnesota, attending Kennedy Elementary School...
as Buff - Dina SpybeyDina SpybeyDina Spybey is an American actress, known as Dina Waters since her 2000 wedding to director Mark Waters. She has appeared in more than 20 films, including John Q., subUrbia and The Haunted Mansion. She is perhaps best known for her role as Tracy Montrose Blair on the first season of Six Feet Under...
as Bee Bee - Samia ShoaibSamia ShoaibSamia Shoaib is an actress, filmmaker, and writer. She was born in Pakistan and raised in England. She moved to the United States where she studied English and Theater at the University of California and George Washington University. She studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London...
as Pakeesa Choudhury - William Martin Hayes as Scuff
Soundtrack
- "Unheard Music" - ElasticaElasticaElastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
& Stephen MalkmusStephen MalkmusStephen Joseph Malkmus is an indie rock musician and icon, and a member of the band Pavement. He currently performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.-Early years:... - "Bee-Bee's Song" - Sonic YouthSonic YouthSonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
- "Bulletproof Cupid" - Girls Against BoysGirls Against BoysGirls Against Boys are an indie rock/post-hardcore band, originally forming in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and currently based in New York City.-Career:...
- "Feather in Your Cap" - BeckBeckBeck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
- "Berry Meditation" - U.N.K.L.E.
- "I'm Not Like Everybody ElseI'm Not Like Everybody Else"I'm Not Like Everybody Else" is a song written by Ray Davies and first recorded by The Kinks in 1966.-History:Davies had written the song for The Animals, but it was turned down, so the Kinks released their own version with guitarist Dave Davies on lead vocals...
" - Boss HogBoss HogBoss Hog is an American punk blues band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer and Cristina Martinez along with Jens Jurgensen , Hollis Queens and Mark Boyce... - "Cult" - Skinny PuppySkinny PuppySkinny Puppy is a Canadian industrial musical group, formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The group is widely considered to be the founders of the electro-industrial genre....
- "Does Your Hometown Care?" - SuperchunkSuperchunkSuperchunk is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, consisting of singer/guitarist Mac McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance, and drummer Jon Wurster. Formed in 1989, they were one of the bands that helped define the Chapel Hill music scene of the 1990s...
- "Sunday" - Sonic Youth
- "Human Cannonball" - Butthole SurfersButthole SurfersButthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
- "Tabla in Suburbia" - Sonic Youth
- "Hot Day" - The Flaming LipsThe Flaming LipsThe Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
- "Psychic Hearts" - Thurston MooreThurston MooreThurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
- "Town Without Pity" - Gene PitneyGene PitneyEugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
Other credited songs
- "Peaceful Day" - PennywisePennywise (band)Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
- "Scum" - Meat PuppetsMeat PuppetsThe Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood , his brother Cris Kirkwood , and Derrick Bostrom . The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix...
- "Rundown" - Sincola
- "NWO" - MinistryMinistry (band)Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
- "Man Invisible" - Jayce Bartock
- "Salvation" - Jayce Bartock
- "Candle" - Sonic Youth
- "Huge Giant Omen" - Ed HallEd hall (band)Ed Hall is an alternative rock band formed in Austin, Texas, USA in 1985.-Members:*Gary Chester - guitar, vocals*Larry Strub - bass guitar, vocals*Lyman Hardy - drums, vocals-History:...
Reception
The film earned a ranking of 60% on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film a positive review giving the film 3 stars out of 4, calling it "dark, intense and disturbing."
Awards
Ajay NaiduAjay Naidu
Ajay Kalahastri Naidu is an American actor.Naidu was born in Evanston, Illinois He attended Evanston Township High School. As an actor, he trained with the American Repertory Theater's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.His first professional acting job was the film ...
was nominated for Best Supporting Male at the 1997 Independent Spirit Awards but lost to Jason Lee
Jason Lee (actor)
Jason Michael Lee is an American actor and skateboarder known for his role as the title character on the NBC television series My Name is Earl, his portrayal of Syndrome in the film The Incredibles, his role as Dave Seville in the Alvin and the Chipmunks films, and his work with director Kevin...
.