Suburbia: The Screenplay of the Film Written by Eric Bogosian and Directed by Richard Linklater (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Richard Linklater's fine new film subUrbia combines his talents with those of Eric Bogosian and brings out the best in both. Mr. Bogosian's venomously funny play, which he adapted himself for the screen, is given warmth and generosity by Mr. Linklater, whose elegantly fluid direction and great skill with actors are accentuated by the play's sparseness. Mr. Bogosian's knife-edged humor and hairpin turns at the end of the play keep the material from meandering and guarantee the film its sting. --Janet Maslin, The New York Times

"Pic's fascinations owe in large part to Bogosian's skill at drawing characters that are American archetypes yet quirkily distinct and idiomatic. His dialogue is rich and flavorful, avid at capturing the pungent nuances of slang and the precise verbal textures of a world that seems like a giant invitation to 'smoke a doob and hang out.' His writing also strikes a fine balance in showing both the hopelessness and the hopes of that world, and in conveying that damaged, culturally derelict humanity is still humanity." --Variety
-- Review

Review

"Richard Linklater's fine new film subUrbia combines his talents with those of Eric Bogosian and brings out the best in both. Mr. Bogosian's venomously funny play, which he adapted himself for the screen, is given warmth and generosity by Mr. Linklater, whose elegantly fluid direction and great skill with actors are accentuated by the play's sparseness. Mr. Bogosian's knife-edged humor and hairpin turns at the end of the play keep the material from meandering and guarantee the film its sting. --Janet Maslin, The New York Times

"Pic's fascinations owe in large part to Bogosian's skill at drawing characters that are American archetypes yet quirkily distinct and idiomatic. His dialogue is rich and flavorful, avid at capturing the pungent nuances of slang and the precise verbal textures of a world that seems like a giant invitation to 'smoke a doob and hang out.' His writing also strikes a fine balance in showing both the hopelessness and the hopes of that world, and in conveying that damaged, culturally derelict humanity is still humanity." --Variety

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (February 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031216615X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312166151
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,031,699 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars pretty good, June 17, 2002

By	T. Lloyd (Madison, WI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: subUrbia (Paperback)

i prefer bogosian's monologues to his plays. suburbia was good, but i preferred talk radio. a quick enjoyable read. if you are only going to read one of his books read "pounding nails into the floor with my forehead"

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUBURBIA: A Slice of Life from a Rotting Orange, May 27, 2000

By	Eric Wilkinson (Wilsonville(near Portland),Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: subUrbia (Paperback)

SUBURBIA is the hilarious at times and unsettling at others story of a group of friends who are awaiting the arrival of a high school classmate who is now a rockstar complete with annoying pretentious twit girlfriend in tow. These kids are bitter, hard, and cold, but it's only because they don't feel like they've gotten the best of opportunities. From the ex-military drunkerd, to the goofy pizza guy, to the bitter punk who screams "F--k Oliver Stone,f--k Bill Clinton,f--k O.J. Simpson...",etc.,etc. and calls it an art piece about testosterone, to the girl's boyfriend who's on thin ice, is the most grounded of the group, and seems to be headed nowhere and care about it. Well-written by the crafty Bogosian, this is a representation of every little town in America akin to my town of Wilsonville,Oregon. Sad and poignant.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wake Up America!, April 2, 1997

By A Customer

There are some values that simply can not be measured. In the synopsis of SubUrbia, one can read of the plot in the book. The true power of the book, however, is not in its plot. The power is in the searing criticism of American society. Bogosian masterfully depicts the evils of American society through the actions and the very constitutions of his characters. These characters find themselves aimlessly adrift in the horse latitudes on the way to adulthood. Bogosian's wake up call to America is driven home when the abrupt ending is punctuated with crazed shouts from a foreigner