Bug

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Rating 3


Directed by William Friedkin

Written by Tracy Letts, based on his stage play

Starring Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Lynn Collins, Harry Connick Jr and Brian F O’Byrne


Agnes White (Ashley Judd) lives in a dilapidated motel room and works as a waitress at a near-by lesbian bar. She is being menaced by her abusive former boyfriend/husband Jerry Goss (Harry Connick Jr), who has been released on early parole from jail. Then she meets Peter Evans (Michael Shannon), a drifter who believes he is infested with bugs, and she is sucked into his weird world of deranged conspiracy theories.

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‘Bug’ is one of those films that deal with the strange “living on the edge of madness” netherworld that is a part of the American experience. Largely set in the motel room and with a small cast, it slowly creates a claustrophobic ambience. It was intriguing enough, imagine a Tennessee Williams play directed by David Cronenberg, although it went completely barmy towards the end and I suspect it wanted to be taken more seriously than perhaps we should. Undoubtedly, this is a film intended to generate discussion and debate about its meaning, but I am not entirely convinced it deserves or needs too much thought.

The performances are good, if a little overwrought towards the end. The director William Friedkin is best known for two celebrated early 1970s films, ‘The French Connection’ and ‘The Exorcist’.

‘Bug’ has a 59% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes from 124 reviews. The film grossed a little over $8 million at the box office worldwide.

Review posted 30 March 2009



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