‘Greener Grass’ Is A Neon-Saturated Suburban Fever Dream (FILM REVIEW)

[rating=9.00]

There’s something deeply unnerving, yet undeniably familiar, that permeates every frame of Greener Grass. In doing both simultaneously, the stellar suburban satire, written, directed, and starring Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe, has all the qualifications of a ready-made cinematic cult classic.

Based on a short film of the same name (which you can watch here), the story centers on two housewives, Jill (DeBoer) and Lisa (Luebbe), whose passive-aggressive rivalry starts out on the absurd. Specifically, when Jill just… gives her newborn baby to Lisa while they sit on the sidelines of a child’s soccer game. Amazingly, things somehow manage to only get weirder from there. While Jill and Dawn’s increasingly toxic relationship evolves into a Stepford Wives-like tale of manipulation and control, it never steps outside the bounds of its own gated community send-up.

That also goes for the numerous subplots thrown into this day-glo blender, which range from a serial killer with a penchant for yoga teachers to a boy transforming into a golden retriever. There’s also Jill’s husband, Nick (Beck Bennet), who spends most of his screen time espousing the benefits of drinking his own unfiltered pool water. And the best part: they’re all presented with an equal amount of neo-levity.

It’s this straight-faced, Leslie Nielsen-like delivery that helps elevate Greener Grass from weirdo quirky comedy to ominous (and purposefully over-the-top) commentary. Granted, that also goes for the film’s countless demonstrations of its meticulous surreality, like the ubiquitous golf carts that have seemingly replaced car, or the fact that every single adult character is wearing braces. There’s no backstory, no exposition, simply an assured “just fucking go with it” commitment to the bit. Because that sentiment is shared by the filmmakers, the cast, and pretty much everyone involved in Greener Grass is why the film ends up working as well as it does.

After a successful run on the festival circuit, the film is getting a sadly-limited theatrical run. Although it’s hard to imagine how, exactly, you’d market its utterly bizarre, Fellini-like take on the American suburbs. But, that’s where the magic of the digital era comes in. While it will definitely find some of its core viewers on VOD, should Greener Grass manage to secure a home at a streaming service, that’s where it will slowly cultivate its audience, and rightfully become a go-to favorite of late night stoner film clubs.

Greener Grass is currently available on VOD.  

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