The African-American family struggling to fit in to an all-white suburb in 1950s America in the George Clooney-directed dark satire “Suburbicon” was intentionally portrayed in a one-dimensional way, actor Matt Damon said on Sunday.
TORONTO (Reuters) – The African-American family struggling to fit in to an all-white suburb in 1950s America in the George Clooney-directed dark satire &ldquo-Suburbicon&rdquo- was intentionally portrayed in a one-dimensional way, actor Matt Damon said on Sunday.
The film, based on a script written by Joel and Ethan Coen, stars Damon and Julianne Moore and depicts the violent efforts of the neighborhood&rsquo-s white residents to oust a black family, the Meyers, after blaming them for a deadly break-in.
The film has received mixed reviews since its world premiere in Venice earlier this month, with some critics hammering its superficial treatment of the black characters.
&ldquo-The Meyers family, you never know them, right, and that&rsquo-s the point,&rdquo- Damon told a news conference at the Toronto International Film Festival. &ldquo-Because the town didn&rsquo-t get to know them, they just freaked out.&rdquo-
Moore added: &ldquo-They blamed them for absolutely everything and then you see us in our little house quietly going about our dirty business.&rdquo-
Moore plays both Damon&rsquo-s wife and her sister, who hatches a plot with Damon&rsquo-s character Gardner Lodge to stage a home invasion and get rid of the wife to start a new life together.
The film lands at a time of deep unease over race in America after white supremacists clashed with anti-racism protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia last month, leaving one dead.
&ldquo-Its bigger problem is a timely subplot about virulent racism among white Americans that comes off as a mishandled afterthought,&rdquo- Hollywood Reporter said.
Film site Collider added that by depriving the Meyers of individual voices and having them &ldquo-stand in for all black families, Clooney turns them into a cardboard cutout.&rdquo-
&ldquo-We wanted it to be entertaining, we didn&rsquo-t want it to be a documentary and we didn&rsquo-t want it to be an &lsquo-eat your spinach&rsquo- piece of filmmaking,&rdquo- Clooney told the news conference.
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