I made a bunch of initial mistakes with this one. Based on the cover art and description, I passed this up a bunch of times looking for something better. Mistake. I usually try not to base movies I choose to watch on such superficial information and here was a case that validates my point on cover art and synopses.
Bugonia was *absolutely* something I wanted to watch. When I started the movie it became abundantly clear to me that this was not some straight to streaming B movie list filler. For starters it’s a Universal Pictures release. That means a couple things. The studio put a lot of money into it, and the actors were paid well.
Let’s talk about those actors. There’s a couple big names I’m sure everyone will be familiar with. Emma Stone, who needs no introductions, and Jesse Plemons, who most avid movie watchers should be familiar with. I’ll put a longer list of actors towards the bottom of this article but I wanted to talk about those two actors in particular.
One of the things that sets a good movie apart from mediocre or just plain bad movies is the acting. Some actors unfortunately get typecast into seemingly the same role no matter which movie they’re in. Sometimes this is entertaining, but most times you want to see a versatile actor able to be believable and put in original performances that you are glad to have seen. The acting in this movie is simply phenomenal and it’s always something extra when you can see and feel the emotions a particular actor is conveying.
Take a look at these headings IMDb classifies this movie under:
It might seem a bit heady, but it’s no stretch of the imagination. Bugonia is all of those things, and more. The one thing that’s missing is conspiracy theories, and Bugonia has a nice dose of those to go along with all the above classifications. It’s a well constructed and fun movie, with some very pertinent and serious musings on issues that plague society and the world today. Fun and relevant.
Reviewers say ‘Bugonia’ delves into conspiracy theories, corporate greed, and paranoia, featuring strong performances by Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. The film is lauded for its dark humor, psychological tension, and distinctive visual style. However, some find the plot complex, the pacing sluggish, and the ending controversial. Its satirical approach to modern issues garners mixed reactions, with some praising its audacity and others deeming it pretentious or unengaging. While the acting is widely acclaimed, the script and direction remain contentious points.
IMBb Movie Summary
Now if you’ve stuck with me this far, I want to comment on the IMDb synopsis. I think some WILL find the plot complex, but only if you’ve lived a very sheltered life or if you’re very young. The movie is a bit complex in the directions it goes but in no way is the story disjointed or hard to understand. On the pacing, I thought the pacing was great. I believe the pacing issue might have something to do with the cop scenes and all the things left unsaid. However, in my opinion it doesn’t interrupt the pacing at all. In fact I think the movie could have benefitted by adding dreamy sequences with the parts unsaid concerning the babysitter/cop subplot. You’ll understand if you watch the movie as I don’t ‘want to spoil any part of this great (yeah, I actually thought the movies was great) cinematic tour de force. Okay, that’s a bit overboard, but so much of this movie are about things I have thought about or studied in the past. Much of the movie holds great interest to me even now, so I guess the best way I can put it is that I can absolutely relate to Bugonia, and I think much of it’s targeted audience (if there is such a thing), and the more general audiences will too.
Bugonia was released by Universal and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Written by Will Tracy and Jang Joon-Wan. Featuring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aldan Debis, J. Carmen Galindez Barrera, Alicia Silverstone, and Stavros Halkias, among others. Released in 2025 with a running time of 1 hour and 58 minutes.