Suburbia is generally accepted to have originated in the mid-20th Century, when nations were seeking to rebuild themselves after two world wars that devastated the world and created problems for society, which they were desperate to move on from. The suburbs were created for people, specifically families, to redefine themselves and create a kind of “paradise” away from the core of society. Of course, this is not how things turned out. The same problems that have plagued society for years continued to do so even with the introduction of the supposedly utopian domestic spaces.

What’s more this tension between the desire for paradise and the inability to actually create it carved out a darker side to suburbia. Naturally, this has made for riveting storytelling, especially in film. Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling is indeed the latest to dismantle this utopian fantasy. Per Collider, the film will release in theaters September 23, so, until then, let’s look at the best movies about the darker side of suburbia.

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8 Celia

     Seon Films Production

Released in 1989, the Australian horror film Celia was written and directed by Ann Turner. The film stars Rebecca Smart, Nicholas Eadie, Victoria Longley, and Mary-Anne Fahey, and is set in 1957, centerin around a young girl growing up in the outskirts of Melbourne during the Red Scare, which, per The Conversation, involved a widespread fear of communism by a group, society, or state. Celia has a fantasied view of the world that surrounds her, which results in the occurrence of dark events. We see the toxicity of the community she was raised in on-screen, demonstrating the darker side of suburbia.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

7 Pleasantville

     Larger Than Life Productions

Pleasantville was released in 1998, directed by Gary Ross, and starred Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, J. T. Walsh, and, notably, Reese Witherspoon at the beginning of her career. The film centers around two siblings who end up trapped in a Midwestern town depicted in a TV show in the 1950s. They at first enjoy the town, however, they soon bring color to the world and introduce the residents to a less simplistic way of life. It’s a cheesy film, but actually has some interesting commentary on societal repression throughout.

6 The Virgin Suicides

     Paramount Classics

Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides was released in 1999, based on the 1993 novel by Jeffrey Eugenides of the same name. The film follows five adolescent sisters living in a suburb of Detroit during the 1970s. The oldest sister makes an attempt on her own life, and, after this, the girls are forced to live a restricted life, eventually being confined to their home. They become increasingly depressed and isolated. The film shines a light on how repressive conditions can be fatally detrimental to teenagers and their development.

5 Revolutionary Road

     Paramount Vantage

Revolutionary Road was released in 2008, directed by Sam Mendes and based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Richard Yates. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Frank Weheeler, and Kate Winslet as April Wheeler, the first time the pair had shared a screen since the hugely successful Titanic. Revolutionary Road focuses on the couple’s ongoing personal problems and the ensuing breakdown of their marriage. Frank struggles through 10-hour work days and April struggles at home, disconnected from the life that she was taught to seek, but which she finds meaningless. The film examines marriage and how the nuclear idea of suburban life can be toxic and break down relationships.

4 The Stepford Wives

     Paramount Pictures

The Stepford Wives is a 2004 black comedy directed by Frank Oz, based on a screenplay by Paul Rudnick. The film is a remake of the 1975 film and is made great by the inclusion of Nicole Kidman as Joanna, who relocated to a suburb named Stepford. Joanna has a hard time adjusting to the expectations of living there and uncovers a dark secret that the town keeps under wraps. The film is one of the most obvious on the list when exploring the dark side of suburbia, and it has become a cult classic.

3 American Beauty

     Jinks/Cohen Company

Sam Mendes’ American Beauty was released in 1999 and features Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham, a suburban dad who is having a midlife crisis, and ends up becoming infatuated with his teenage daughter’s best friend (played by Mena Suvari). The film explores the dangers of repression and suburban existence, however, it’s become more of a strange viewing experience given the allegations of sexual misconduct made against Spacey.

2 Blue Velvet

     De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

Blue Velvet is a 1986 neo-noir film written and directed by David Lynch. The film features a cast including Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern. The film focuses on a college student who discovers a severed ear in a field, which leads to the uncovering of a criminal conspiracy. The imagery throughout aligns with the theme of dark suburbia, depicting white picket fences at first, and then we quickly realize there are dark secrets beneath the seemingly perfect world.

1 Get Out

     Universal Pictures

Jordan Peele’s Get Out was released in 2017 and marked his feature directorial debut, starring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, and Catherine Keener. The plot follows Chris (Kaluuya) and his girlfriend Rose (Williams), who have reached the milestone of meeting the parents in their relationship. At first, Chris believes the strange behavior of her family is due to the fact he is Black, but, in truth, something more sinister lies beneath that the entire neighborhood is in on.