‎The 'Burbs (1989) directed by Joe Dante • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

The 'Burbs

1989 Directed by Joe Dante

He's a man of peace in a savage land... Suburbia.

When secretive new neighbors move in next door, suburbanite Ray Peterson and his friends let their paranoia get the best of them as they start to suspect the newcomers of evildoings and commence an investigation. But it's hardly how Ray, who much prefers drinking beer, reading his newspaper and watching a ball game on the tube expected to spend his vacation.

Tom Hanks Bruce Dern Carrie Fisher Rick Ducommun Corey Feldman Wendy Schaal Henry Gibson Brother Theodore Courtney Gains Gale Gordon Dick Miller Robert Picardo Cory Danziger Franklyn Ajaye Rance Howard Heather Haase Nicky Katt Billy Stevenson Gary Hays Kevin Gage Dana Olsen Brenda Benner Patrika Darbo Sonny Carl Davis Kevin McCarthy

101 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Steve G ★★★★½ 12

Somewhere around the early 90s, Tom Hanks became really boring.

He stopped making comedies and started making 'serious' films. As such, we missed out on him making more films like this and more films where we have to watch him talk to a sodding volleyball for the best part of 2 hours or doing a bad Alec Guinness impression.

Okay, that is been gravely unfair to Hanks and of course he HAS made or been a part of some great films in the 23 years since the release of The 'Burbs. But I can't be the only one who STILL misses the days when you saw his name on a film poster or box and you knew you were in…
Review by claire 💖 diane ★★★★ 12

I needed this.

On a normal Tuesday. Except I don't work til late. After yet another night put down by the poisonous thoughtloops of my barely contained obsessive-compulsive childish illogical but damn it still consuming fear -- there's nothing like the sunlight on a quiet Tuesday. Work is still far away. Everything just slows down. I can feel the chasm of my fear vibrating away on the edges of the day. But it's easier to keep it there. On the edge.

Because there's something to the sunlight streaming in the window. Something to a marginally clean house and fresh, clean, cold cans of soda. So, to keep the fear out and the hopeful sunlight vibe in, I flip this on.…
Review by nathaxnne walker ★★★★★ 11

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

A totally white middle-class enclave full of normal white people who had fought for the United States and come home to rest, people who had worked and retired, people who are still working hard, white people who are almost entirely male and whose sense of safety rests entirely on the continual surveillance and monitoring of each other, maintenance of social norms and the training of others to do the same. What happens when people move in who dress differently, decorate differently, act standoffish and secretive, have a weird last name or a weird schedule? Those people are immediately suspect, could very well be serial murderers, dangerous occultists or today, terrorists. If You See Something, Say Something. Xenophobic community maintenance was…
Review by Geoff T ★★★★ 6

Normally I'd save something like this until Hoop-Tober, but I was tempted to pick up the Arrow Video release.

This is one that's kind of been on my horizon for a while, and my initial viewing didn't disappoint at all. From Gremlins director Joe Dante, The 'Burbs is one of the more notable films of Tom Hanks' career during his 80s hayday, a thoroughly hilarious and bizarre tale of suburbia that for my money is probably one of his best outings.

Hinkley Hills is your average American suburb, with well-mowed lawns, nice houses and neighbours that you wouldn't necessarily want to live near. A new group of people (the Klopeks) have just moved in, and their presence begins to create…
Review by Luke Kane ★★★★ 3

Mark Rumsfield: Klopek... what is that, Slavic?

Reuben: NO.

Mark Rumsfield: 'Bout a nine on the tension scale, Reub.
Review by jose ★★★½ 1

I’m a sucker for young tom hanks

Recent reviews

Review by Fletcher ★★★

It’s a goofy comedy that is carried really heavily by Jerry Goldsmith’s score. The music walks you through the film and really does the heavy lifting with Tom Hanks and Bruce Dern adding some great physical comedy as well. There really isn’t a lot of material that is being worked with here, but the comedic value of a simple premise is utilized well. The Corey Feldman character really added nothing. He didn’t have any moments that were funny and he didn’t move the plot forward, he could have been removed and it wouldn’t have changed the film at all. It’s always great to have a reminder of how great of a comedic actor Tom Hanks was before he established himself…
Review by Olle Löfgren ★★★★½

A lot of nostalgia here but i love this movie.
Review by SCF ★★★★

So much fondness and nostalgia for this movie
Review by Andy Berger ★★

A fairly interesting idea with a fairly decent cast that just doesn't ever go anywhere. A better director could've made this interesting.
Review by The Escape Podcast ★★★★

I'm thinking of a number between 7 and 9.

Check out our review on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and YouTube.
Review by Dallas Fisher ★★★½

A strange cast of characters and cheesy acting make for a pretty enjoyable time. Tom Hanks in a role you wouldn't expect him in that he still works in.
Review by ChrisM ★★★★½

Flawed but fun
Review by MELISSA BURR ★★★★½

I've seen this movie before it may me laugh when it came out and watching it again I still laugh.
Review by Mike ★★★★

By the time I was old enough to pick movies to watch for myself Tom Hanks was already in his current state of being a Serious Movie Actor. So I had no idea he could do comedy too!

This movie is a lot of fun. Truly, the suburbs are hell (and that's just how I like it).