Streaming: Hulu
Warnings:
Graphic Images
Explicit Language
Rating: Unrated
Greener Grass is a dark comedy about suburban soccer moms who constantly find themselves competing against each other in their personal lives as well as through their kids. This film is one of the funniest surreal dark comedies simply because of how strange it is. Greener Grass is based on a short film of the same name. Written and directed by Jovelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe, the film takes the audience on a very strange ride through suburbia that is beyond bizarre and at times incomprehensible. It stars DeBoer, Luebbe, Beck Bennett, Neil Casey, Mary Holland and D’Arcy Carden. Greener Grass had its world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was released to theaters and streaming in October 2019. Through the unusual concept, the dedicated acting and the production design, this comedy is a successful film that makes the audience look at suburban lifestyles in a different light.
The concept of the film sounds pretty straight forward at first glance but this is certainly one of the weirdest films out there. One aspect of the film that mocks suburban perspectives is the portrayal of middle aged parents commonly obsessed with appearing youthful. The middle aged parents in the film all have braces which is directly related to the “awkward puberty stage” that most youth experience. This approach to mocking the obsession with youthfulness is an interesting portrayal that strays away from the common mockery of women’s bodies and plastic surgery. Men and women are wearing braces throughout the film which comments on how men are also included in this obsession with youth rather than just women. The braces also comment on the idea that there’s always room for improvement, which directly contradicts the aspiration for perfection that is often portrayed in relation to the suburbs. Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus reads, “Greener Grass is far from the first comedy to skewer suburbia but it might be among the most bizarre and surreally distinctive.” This film wouldn’t be the same without the extreme absurdity and it certainly comments on the American dream.
The production design is an incredibly strong element in this film, it takes the suburban feel above and beyond what is expected by dousing everything in bright pastels from the clothing the families wear, to the houses, and even the public spaces. Lauren Oppelt is the costume designer for the film, she is known for Dimension 404 and Other People. Leigh Poindexter is the production designer, she is known for Music, Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun, and Paul McCartney: Who Cares. Together Oppelt and Poindexter have created a masterful work of art that comments on suburbia in an aesthetically pleasing manner. The clothing is perfectly primped and shows the personality of the lead actors while the production design adds to the bizarre feel of the film. With both of these elements combined, Greener Grass finds its perfect place that makes the film interesting and completely strange. Andee Tagle from NPR wrote, “Greener Grass may feel more like a long series of sketches than a feature-length film - but comedy aside, the punchy Wes Anderson-meets- 80’s-music-video aesthetic of cinematography Lowell A. Meyer, matched with Lauren Oppelt’s impeccable costume design, offer delights of their own but not for the color of the comedy, maybe come for the social commentary. You’ll be surprised… by how much a silly madcap comedy such as this one might make you think.” This perspective is probably the best break down of the film simply because of all of the elements to consider. Greener Grass is unlike any other film I have seen before and that is certainly a great reason to watch it.
Beyond the beautiful production design and costume design along with the strange concept, the acting is solid. The actors do a great job with extreme exaggeration which adds to the over the top portrayal of suburbia. The comedy is incredibly dry so if that doesn’t interest you, Greener Grass might not be for you. Some of the comedy is reminiscent of something one might see in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The strangeness of the parent’s relationship with their children as well as their relationship with each other creates an odd tension in the film that is unexpected but entertaining. Overall, the way the family interacts with each other and the way the neighbors interact with each other certainly adds to the commentary of suburban life. With the over the top acting combined with dry humor, the film takes a new approach to the exaggerated mockery of suburbia.
Greener Grass is one of the weirdest films you’ll see all year, that is not in question at all. The dry humor and the over the top production design, costume design and acting might not interest some audiences but for me personally, the film is so strange that the concept of it becomes hilarious. Greener Grass is a surreal dark comedy that hopefully becomes a new genre in itself, the absurdity and off putting social interactions makes the audience view the world in a different light. If you wish to be slightly puzzled, entertained, and at times appalled Greener Grass is the film for you.