Themes: Unrequited Love, Musician's Life, All Washed Up
Main Cast: Craig Bierko, Amy Brenneman, Antonio Fargas, Will Ferrell, Tony Guma, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ben Stiller
Release Year: 1999
Country: US
Run Time: 81 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Answering the question of "Where have all the New Wavers gone?" is The Suburbans, a comedy from first-time director Donal Lardner Ward, who also stars and co-wrote the screenplay. In 1981, power pop band The Suburbans had it all -- big hair, skinny ties and a hit record. But they never followed up on their one chart success, and years later, most of the band's members have dropped out of the music business in favor of "real jobs." However, when one of the ex-Suburbans gets married, the four members are reunited at the reception and play their lone hit for old times sake. As fate would have it, one of the wedding guests is Cait (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a young A&R executive who loved the Suburbans as a kid and thinks they could have another shot at the big time. But does pushing-40 bandleader Danny (Ward) really want to put a stake in the heart of his marriage to Grace (Amy Brenneman) for another moment in the spotlight? The Suburbans features a period-appropraite cameo from A Flock Of Seagulls and supporting performances from Ben Stiller, Jerry Stiller, Will Ferrell and Robert Loggia. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
The Suburbans is a 1999 drama that satirizes the 1980s revival hype around the turn of the century. It stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Donal Lardner Ward, who also co-wrote and directed the movie.
The Suburbans premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 1999. It was released on a very limited number of screens (11) on October 29 of the same year, and grossing $11,130, is considered to have failed commercially. Of nine reviews counted at Rotten Tomatoes, all nine are negative.
Plot
In 1998 Danny, Mitch, Gil and Rory, formerly known as long-forgotten, early 80's one-hit wonder The Suburbans, reunite to perform their only hit single at one of the band members' wedding. After the gig Cate, an up-and-coming record company executive, approaches them and suggests to shoot a pay per view reunion show that would eventually re-establish the band's claim to fame. The four, more reluctantly than not, agree and subsequently face the ramifications on their personal lives as the show's production contrasts their former rock 'n' roll image with their now middle-class, suburban life style. It soon becomes evident that Cate is probably the only remaining fan of the band, who, out of a personal interest in the matter, put her own career at stake.
