To the disappointment of his wife Carol Ray decides to spend a relaxing week at home and soon gets into trouble with his neighbours - a hefty busybody a freaked-out ex-soldier and a spacey teenager - as they observe the strange happenings next door at the Klopek's bizarre residence. When the neighborhood grouch suddenly disappears the men are convinced the ramshackle house hides some hideous clues. Armed with assault rifles high-powered binoculars and a shovel they decide to see for themselves exactly what is going on in the Klopek place... Tom Hanks portrays suburbanite Ray Peterson whose plans for a peaceful vacation are disturbed by a creepy new family on the block in this outrageous suspense-comedy directed by Joe Dante. Set in an average neighborhood that is anything but average The Burbs blends slapstick comedy and spine-tingling mystery with the type of witty humour that has made Tom Hanks a star.