Bugonia

4/5

Picture this: it’s 8am at Picturehouse Central. You’ve been up since six, walked all the way there, and now you’re about to sit through a film you don’t even want to see. I was already familiar with Yorgos Lanthimos’ work, but the only film of his I’d seen was Poor Things, which, controversially, I didn’t like. So, as you might imagine, the idea of watching Bugonia at eight in the morning wasn’t exactly thrilling.

Lanthimos’ Bugonia follows two conspiracy-obsessed men (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) who decide to kidnap the CEO of a high-profile pharmaceutical company (Emma Stone) after becoming convinced that she’s an alien sent to Earth to destroy humanity. The film is every bit as whacky as it sounds, but in all the best ways.

In true Lanthimos fashion, Bugonia opens in a way that immediately puts you on edge. The first scene pairs eerie buzzing sounds with a narration about how bees work, setting an unsettling tone from the start. The sound design by Johnnie Burn, combined with Jerskin Fendrix’s operatic score, does an impeccable job of immersing the audience fully into the story. The opening sequence also establishes the film’s contrasting characters, Michelle (Stone) is introduced to haunting, almost sinister music, while Teddy (Plemons) and Don (Delbis) are accompanied by a much lighter, almost playful score.

Despite being a high-stakes film, Bugonia still manages to keep things light with flashes of humour and irony. One of the most memorable moments is Michelle’s drive home, paired with the ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ by Chappell Roan needle drop – an ironically perfect setup for how the rest of her story unfolds. Later, near the film’s end, we’re treated to a ‘Basket Case’ by Green Day needle drop, which somehow feels both relevant and wildly inappropriate at the same time – a tone that perfectly encapsulates Bugonia’s offbeat sense of humour.

However, I can’t talk about this film without mentioning its incredible cast. Bugonia features a small group of leads, which works entirely in its favour. Plemons and Delbis shine as Teddy and Don, embodying the dangers of indoctrination and conspiracy thinking, and showing just how far people will go for something they believe to be true. Opposite them, Stone is outstanding as Michelle, the kidnapped CEO, playing her with a calm, composed presence that remains unnervingly steady even in moments of absolute peril. It’s a performance that’s as unsettling as it is captivating.

Ultimately, Bugonia offers sharp commentary on issues that feel especially relevant today, particularly the state of the pharmaceutical industry in America. Stone’s character embodies a CEO completely out of touch with the real-world consequences of her company’s actions, attempting to fix everything by simply throwing money at the problem. At the same time, the film explores how those same systems impact people like Teddy and Don, and the extreme lengths desperation can drive them to. It also takes aim at the flaws within the justice system, though I’ll leave that for you to discover.

I’ll let this be a lesson to never judge a film in advance!

You can watch the trailer here

Bugonia releases in UK cinemas on October 31st