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Bug (2006)

Director: William Friedkin

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1 review

Movie review

From Time Out London

It’s a real shame that this taut, expertly played and satisfyingly outré horror yarn directed by William Friedkin has been nervously shuffled onto the big screen in what seems like a stop-gap prelude to its (hopefully richer) life on DVD. An adaptation of an off-Broadway chamber piece by American playwright Tracey Letts, the bulk of the drama takes place in a seedy roadside motel which is the home of dowdy southern divorcee Agnes (Ashley Judd, delivering a uncharacteristically fiery central performance). She hooks up with the cagey, but outwardly docile, Peter (Michael Shannon) who, after consummating the relationship, decides to share with her a strange and life-altering little secret.

While ‘Bug’ works well as gruelling claustrophobia, it’s also interesting in that it is a film in which (like ‘The Exorcist’ before it) the threat is solely internal as opposed to external. The huge popularity of the ‘Saw’ franchise (essentially a 90-minute gore montage), makes it an even bigger tragedy that quality genre films like this – horror with a heart, if you will – have been allowed to drift off into the ether.

Author: David Jenkins 2007-11-05 15:56:43

Time Out London Issue 1942: November 7-13 2007


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  • kc said...
    Posted on Mar 22 2009 13:28 Excellent film,just watched it on tv,im still thinking about it.
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Cast & crew

Director: William Friedkin

Cast: Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick Jr, Brian O'Byrne, Lynn Collins full cast

Genre(s): Thrillers, Drama

Rated: 18

Duration: 101 mins

UK Release: Nov 9 2007

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