Suburbicon (2017)

In 1959, a black family moves into the all white community of Suburbicon. The white folks aren't happy about it. Meanwhile, next door to the black family, a businessman (Matt Damon) has his home invaded by two thugs who kill his wife (Julianne Moore). Directed and co-written by George Clooney. In short ..... an unholy mess! The original screenplay was written by the Coen Brothers (who still get a screenplay credit) in the mid 1980s but they abandoned it. Clooney resurrected it. He should have left it abandoned. The film wants to show the venal side of a "typical" white suburban family while showing the racist reception towards the black family. But Clooney marginalizes the black family to the point where they become superfluous. They're hardly in the movie and we really never get to know them. If you're going to make a movie about racism yet eradicate the victims from the film, something stinks! Actually, if the black family storyline had been removed, what remained might have made for a nasty piece of black comedy but Clooney diffuses both plots by juggling them with the black storyline getting the shaft. The film has 2 good performances by Julianne Moore (in a dual role as the murdered wife and her sister) and Noah Jupe as Damon's son. Damon himself is pretty bad. So much so that during his "big" scene, I thought "Don't forget to pick up some toilet paper on the way home." With Oscar Isaac, Gary Basaraba and Glenn Fleshler.