This film tells the story of a revenge kidnapping amongst a group of teenagers whose drug dealer commits suicide. Jamie Bell stars as the son of a self-help guru, aptly named ‘Dr Feelgood’ and his vitamin-obsessed wife. The dead drug dealer is his best friend, and it is his little brother who is kidnapped. There’s something wrong in Suburbia, and although its basic premise as a satirical teen movie has been endlessly redone, the oddball characters and dark comedy of this film make it worth seeing. An all-star cast helps; Glenn Close is particularly memorable as the dead drug dealer’s mother.
The anesthaetized world of the movie self-consciously alludes to the video game (also called "Chumscrubber") which is omnipresent in the teenagers’ lives. From time to time, such self-referential tropes detract from what the film has to offer, which is sharp writing and excellent performances.
The cynical outlook of the film is mediated by its quips and the interest it takes in the lives of its characters. Although its desperation to be both relevant and original can be wearying to an audience who is familiar with the genre, the film is witty, well written and worth watching.
Lucy Karsten
