Suburbicon heavily layers its narrative with social commentary on racism and bigotry, often inserting these themes in a way that distracts from the central crime plot. The focus on identity and ideology overshadows organic character development, making the film feel forced and didactic. Some viewers may feel the film sacrifices story in favor of message.

The film depicts 1950s suburbia and traditional family values as fundamentally hypocritical and corrupt, with nearly every traditional authority figure portrayed negatively. Religion and typical American family life are contrasted with moral decay, making longstanding norms seem backward or dangerous.

Suburbicon largely villainizes any characters representing traditional or dissenting perspectives, reducing them to caricatures of bigotry or violence. There is little sincere exploration of alternative worldviews; the film signals a clear moral binary aligned with contemporary ideological norms.