SubUrbia (1996)

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Siskoid
Linklater's adaptation of Eric Bogosian's play SubUrbia is (re)set in a Central Texas town (of course), but it could be anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, one of those turnpike developments - gas stations, strip malls, convenience stores... and disaffected youth. Or not-so-youth, since we catch up with a group of friends who ought to have moved on from hanging on the corner causing trouble like dumb teenagers. In the Western world, if you don't have the miseries of war, famine, fascism or plague (things have changed since the 90s), you invent the misery of boredom. The group's world is shaken up by the return of an old pal who "escaped" and became a music star, exposing their arrested development. This might just be the night when they each blow up their lives. The greatest contrast is offered by an immigrant character who can't get behind this nihilistic and wasteful streak in American culture. Different pairings throughout the story help us explore this dark and grungy generation, and of all of them, Steve Zahn playing Steve Zahn (you know what performance I mean) can be a drain on one's patience, but generally, everyone brings a nice naturalism to the piece, as they should. 2 years ago