“Bugonia” is the third film in as many years from Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone’s new dynamic duo. Lanthimos understands how to use Stone’s movie star power in ways no one else has. His unique style, tone and sense of comedy perfectly play with Stone’s performances, and “Bugonia” is no exception.
The film is about two conspiracy-ridden men, Teddy and Don (played by Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis), who kidnap Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the CEO of a major company, because they believe she is an alien intent on destroying Earth.
Quite simply, one of the weirdest premises for a movie that has been distributed widely in some time. “Bugonia” is based on the Korean film “Save the Green Planet!” that has the same premise.
“Bugonia” thrives on this weirdness, and before long, you, as the audience member, are swimming in the same conspiracy-ridden madness as Teddy and Don. The way the film builds this paranoia is masterful, as scenes effortlessly switch between laugh-out-loud funny and suspenseful, then back to being funny again.
The reason that the movie works at all is due to the three leading actors. Plemons is at a career best here, and it seems like with each movie he does, he becomes more interesting as an actor to watch. Everything, from the way he carries himself and rides his bike to the way he speaks, is just superb.
Stone is just as good. The way she can maintain control of the room, even while literally chained down, is one of the best ways to utilize a movie star. It feels like the film is literally using her larger-than-life movie star persona in every scene that she is in.
Lastly, Delbis, in his debut performance, held his own against two incredible actors and deserves recognition. He is the heart of the film, and the movie would not work anywhere near as well as it does without him.
What makes “Bugonia” especially interesting is how it showcases these deep-rooted conspiracy theories. It isn’t the only film this year to focus on this aspect, as Ari Aster, who produced this film, also directed “Eddington,” another film focused on COVID-19 and the spread of conspiracy theories. “Bugonia’s” scope is not anywhere near “Eddington,” however, and I think that is for the better.
The third act of “Bugonia” is when it all comes together. As soon as everything starts falling apart for Teddy, the film excels. I find this film to be incredibly funny in the first half, but it is much more effective when it taps into the paranoia and suspense in the last act. I think here in particular, it does a masterful job of having you question what is real and what is fake all up until the credits roll.
9/10
