BUGONIA Movie Minute Review

This is Paul Salfen with your KLAK Movie Minute. In theaters now is Bugonia, the new Yorgos Lanthimos film and his name alone should tell you that you’re in for a wild ride. With his muse Emma Stone along with Jesse Plemons returning to the fold, this trip demands that the viewer just go along with whatever strange and absurd turn the story goes in and if you’re ready for anything, it’s a fun ride. That said, it won’t be for everyone. The story follows a pair of conspiracy theory-obsessed guys that kidnap a CEO that they believe is an alien that wants to destroy earth. Now, of course, this is a silly and sad notion to begin with, but what if it starts to make sense? Lanthinos plays with our heads as usual and somehow makes you a believer on both sides at certain points until the climax, which is not what you were expecting and is certainly not a disappointment. The film really works thanks to Stone’s and Plemons’ commitment to the roles, even when the characters individually become unlikable. They’re both so good that you might see nominations from them. It may even fare better with audiences than Poor Things but will certainly make up for the disastrous Kinds of Kindness. Also, in a strange way, the story feels very timely and the characters feel very relevant, which may be the most unsettling part of this already-unsettling movie. But this one will draw you into the madness and when it works, it really works. That’s it for this week. Join me next week and every week for another Movie Minute right here on 97.5 KLAK, AMFM MAGAZINE, and RECRD.