**Filled with unlikeable characters and boring dialogue. Mediocre at best.**

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.

A night in Burnfield (Suburbia).

_Suburbia_ is a very '90s movie about a group of "teens" - even though the actors are in their twenties - loitering and talking. This is definitely what I would call a hangout movie: it's less about a plot, and more about living in this world for a few hours with these characters. That being said, the movie is trying to say something. It's not overt, it's not subdued, it's just there, but you more feel the message. Seems the film is as uninterested about if you understand or not, as our cynical characters, themselves, would be. Basically, the movie is talking about people who say, and people who do. Also, what the difference is between the two. Is it better to want more? Is wanting more a byproduct of internal shortcomings? Philosophical questions, for sure, but there are no answers within; we're just a fly on the wall here. The mood aside, we have a small group we follow. Mainly our trio: Jeff, Buff, and Tim. These guys have always reminded me of Green Day, especially from the Dookie era. That being said, given the timeframe, one would think this would have a grunge feel or, at least, a post-grunge punk vibe. Oddly enough, the bulk of the music is from Sonic Youth, then, out of nowhere, Skinny Puppy, and Ministry. Weird. The other two characters who really stick out to me are Bee-Bee, and Sooze. Bee-Bee is almost a ghost in the movie, but she's actually my favorite character, since she feels more three dimensional, like she's dealing with real problems. I can sympathize more with her, now, as an adult, instead of Jeff, who teenage me identified with, for sure. Onto Sooze: she is totally the weak link here. I think Amie was miscast in the role, since she totally reads as a spunky surfer girl, not feminist alt chick. Overall, I get who the character was supposed to be, and I know I met girls like her during the '90s into the 2000s, but she feels so fake. Lastly, the city itself feels like a character. Apparently, the city of Burnfield is fictional, but it could really be set anywhere in the midwest. Ultimately, this is a great time capsule for the end of the mid '90s. The burnout and disillusion is still relatable, therefore I completely recommend this to anyone who likes talky dramas about teenage angst. Fairly heavy, but there are some light moments of silliness as well.

The self-loathing was real in the '90s. A handful of good moments but chickens out and doesn't go all the way. Jeff, Bee-Bee and Pony were very well written. Erica and Buff were the shallowest. Cinematography and editing was very '90s, generic and unremarkable. It needed more wider shots when they were talking, to reinforce the sense of alienation.