“Quirky, Funny Modern Retelling”
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What You Need To Know:
Episode 1 of THE ’BURBS is a quirky, funny horror comedy. It’s a good introduction to this modern retelling of the 1989 movie starring Tom Hanks. Episode 1 of THE ’BURBS has a strong moral, pro-family worldview about truth, justice and doing what’s right. However, it’s marred by strong foul language, implied horror, a lesbian character, brief substance abuse references, and politically correct depictions of white racism. So, MOVEGUIDE® advises excessive caution.
Content:
Strong moral worldview where the pregnant female lead investigates some strange happenings in her suburban neighborhood in the pursuit of justice, truth and what’s right, and she and her husband have a healthy modern interracial marriage and truly enjoy each other’s company and want to raise their son in a safe place, mitigated by some politically correct elements depicting polite racism by most of the white characters, racial profiling by mysterious neighbor and two police officers, and a former Marine is in a lesbian “marriage”;
26 obscenities (including nine “f” words), a verbal GD profanity, three light profanities, and the Episode 1 title features a GD profanity;
No violence is shown, but a character is shown moving something that looks like it could be a body in a bag but that’s unconfirmed;
No sex scenes, but one character is a lesbian, and a man says his wife is cheating on him with their dentist (she’s asked for a divorce);
No nudity;
Drinking is shown in several scenes including social gathering on porch, and a character using wine to cope with grief and stress in several scenes;
No smoking or drug abuse shown, but there’s a joke and reference to using “pills” and other drugs for fun; and,
Strong miscellaneous immorality such as the neighbors gossip with each other about other neighbors in the neighborhood often with alcohol and about a strange and spooky Victorian house, people snoop around to find out more information without alerting authorities to their suspicions, and husband keeps information from his wife with unknown motive(s).
More Detail:
Episode 1 is a funny, quirky introduction to this modern retelling. Samira is an African American mother from the city, struggling with postpartum boredom and isolation, and is now out of her element in a white, suburban town. There may be something stranger going on this “safe” cul-de-sac, with unlikely new friends to support her search for answers. MOVIEGUIDE® advises excessive for strong foul language, implied horror, a homosexual character, brief substance abuse references, and politically correct depictions of white racism.
Welcome to Hinkley Hills, “the safest town in America,” according to a billboard at the small suburban town’s entrance. An interracial couple on a walk in a beautiful neighborhood, Samira, Rob and their newborn baby, Miles. They discuss how different life is now that they’re living in his parents’ house, his childhood home, and away from the city. (Later, Samira explains how his parents bought a timeshare on a cruise ship and retired there.) Rob assures her it’s a safe place to raise their son. He expresses not wanting to go back to work as a book editor, to leave her and Miles alone.
Crows suddenly caw around a creepy, rundown Victorian house next door. She asks Rob if he’s sure the house is empty? He says yes, very. She doesn’t seem so sure when a light coming from a window blinks off.
The next morning, Rob runs to catch the garbage truck. The garbage man makes a joke about cul-de-sacs having only one way out. Inside, Samira looks at the house next door and presses Rob for more answers. She indicates she’s worried about being left with Miles alone with no family nearby for the first time. He offers to stay, but she insists he get on the train for work.
In the car, Samira dances to loud hip-hop music with the baby in the car. A busybody neighbor, Lynn Gardener, knocks on the window, concerned about her son being exposed to such music. Realizing Samira is Rob Fischer’s wife, she exclaims she’s so pleased to finally meet her. She invites her to come hang out on her porch for wine with the other neighbors who are “dying to meet her.”
Samira calls her brother on the phone and discusses the challenges of her isolation. She has no role model to show her how to live this new life. Being a lawyer, she misses being in a collaborative environment. He jokingly suggests taking up day drinking or a pill habit to get through maternity leave. She says she can’t because she’s breastfeeding. He says she just needs new friends. She says the neighborhood people are crazy as she observes their quirky activity.
On the train, Rob talks with his childhood friend, Naveen. Naveen says his wife is having an affair with their dentist and asks about Samira and the baby. Rob says she keeps asking questions about the house across the street. Naveen asks what he told her. Rob says, “What is there to tell?’
Samira keeps getting weird vibes from the Victorian house. Suspecting Rob knows more than he’s admitting, Samira presses him again. He jokes that she’s becoming obsessed. He shares that he knew them but says does anyone really know their neighbors?
Because Rob and Naveen grew up in the neighborhood, Samira continues to push then about what they know. She forces Rob to admit he knew the murdered girl but doesn’t say anything more. Samira’s suspicions grow as the neighbors join her in her quest to uncover hidden, horrific mysteries as old as the town itself.
Episode 1 of THE ’BURBS is a quirky, funny, well-acted horror comedy. Keke Palmer shines in the lead role of the curious wife. The first episode is a good introduction to this modern retelling of the 1989 movie starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern and Carrie Fisher. Episode 1 of THE ’BURBS has a strong moral, pro-family worldview about truth, justice and doing what’s right. However, it’s marred by some strong foul language, implied horror, a homosexual character, brief substance abuse references, and politically correct depictions of white racism. So, MOVEGUIDE® advises excessive caution.
