The Suburbans
Encyclopedia
The Suburbans is a 1999 comedy-drama that satirizes the 1980s revival hype around the turn of the 21st century. It stars Jennifer Love Hewitt
and Donal Lardner Ward, who also co-wrote and directed the movie.
The Suburbans premiered at the Sundance Film Festival
on January 25, 1999. It was released on a very limited number of screens (11) on October 29 of the same year, and grossing $11,130, is considered to have failed commercially. Of nine reviews counted at Rotten Tomatoes
, all nine are negative.
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, television director and former singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated...
and Donal Lardner Ward, who also co-wrote and directed the movie.
The Suburbans premiered at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
on January 25, 1999. It was released on a very limited number of screens (11) on October 29 of the same year, and grossing $11,130, is considered to have failed commercially. Of nine reviews counted at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten 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...
, all nine are negative.
Plot
In 1998 Danny, Mitch, Gil and Rory, formerly known as long-forgotten, early 80's one-hit wonder The Suburbans, reunite to perform their only hit single at one of the band members' wedding. After the gig Cate, an up-and-coming record company executive, approaches them and suggests to shoot a pay per view reunion show that would eventually re-establish the band's claim to fame. The four, more reluctantly than not, agree and subsequently face the ramifications on their personal lives as the show's production contrasts their former rock 'n' roll image with their now middle-class, suburban life style. It soon becomes evident that Cate is probably the only remaining fan of the band, who, out of a personal interest in the matter, put her own career at stake.Cast
- Donal Lardner Ward as lead singer Danny
- Jennifer Love HewittJennifer Love HewittJennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, television director and former singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated...
as record company executive Cate - Amy BrennemanAmy BrennemanAmy Frederica Brenneman is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles in the television series NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and Private Practice...
as Danny's girlfriend Grace - Craig BierkoCraig BierkoCraig Philip Bierko is an American actor and singer.-Early life:Bierko was born in Rye Brook, New York, the son of Pat and Rex Bierko, who ran a local community theatre. Bierko's mother was a Jewish convert to Roman Catholicism...
as lead guitarist Mitch - Will FerrellWill FerrellJohn William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
as bass player Gil - Tony Guma as drummer Rory
- Bridgette WilsonBridgette WilsonBridgette Leann Wilson-Sampras is an American actress, singer and model. A Miss Teen USA in 1990, Wilson holds several acting roles in television and movies, including the role of Veronica Vaughn in the movie Billy Madison, the role of Elsa Shivers in the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer, and...
as Rory's girlfriend Lara - Ben StillerBen StillerBenjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara....
as record company owner Jay Rose - Perrey ReevesPerrey ReevesPerrey Reeves is an American film and television actress best known for her role on HBO's Entourage.- Life and career :...
as Amanda - Jerry StillerJerry StillerGerald Isaac "Jerry" Stiller is an American comedian and actor.He spent many years in the comedy team Stiller and Meara with his wife Anne Meara...
as record company owner Speedo Silverberg - Dick ClarkDick Clark (entertainer)Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark is an American businessman; game-show host; and radio and television personality. He served as chairman and chief executive officer of Dick Clark Productions, which he has sold part of in recent years...
as himself, hosting a fictional episode of American BandstandAmerican BandstandAmerican Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer... - Kurt LoderKurt LoderKurt Loder is an American film critic, author, columnist, and television personality. He served in the 1980s as editor at Rolling Stone, during a tenure that Reason later called "legendary". He has contributed to articles in Reason, Esquire, Details, New York, and Time. He has also made cameos on...
as himself, an MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
interviewer - A Flock of SeagullsA Flock of SeagullsA Flock of Seagulls are an English New Wave band originally formed by brothers Michael "Mike" Score and Alister "Ali" James Score , with Frank Maudsley , Michael Kuby , H.J...
as themselves in a cameo appearance
External links
- Janet Maslin's review for the New York Times
- Keith Bailey's review for The Unknown Movies Page