Lynn Collins, Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon star in stage adaptation "Bug."
(Credit: Anthony Friedkin/Lionsgate)
Small town waitress Agnes (Ashley Judd) lives in fear of her ex-con ex-husband (Harry Connick Jr.) until she meets military man Peter (Michael Shannon) at a bar. Peter stands out with his awkward behavior and paranoid talking points (UFOs, Iraq, Oklahoma City), but lonely Agnes finds it so reassuring to have a man around that the pair immediately fall into a passionate, co-dependent relationship.
Lots of (stagey) conversation and a little (arty) sex ensues, as Peter slips further into insanity and Agnes, struggling with heavy emotional baggage of her own, has no choice but to follow.
Judd and Shannon deliver admirably committed performances and their risky roles require complete lack of inhibitions—not only do they have to appear mentally unhinged, they're occasionally sans clothing as well. But even that's not enough to rescue this relentlessly unpleasant movie from its formula of tedious talk punctuated by brief bursts of gross-out gore.
Despite the carefully-calculated marketing campaign, "Bug" is not a horror film in any traditional sense—it's better classified as a paranoia-fueled psychological thriller. No matter the genre, it simply doesn't work. The true victims here are unsuspecting moviegoers.
Add a comment