Bug. Ugh. Is it me, or do you feel totally lied to by the trailers for this movie? Instead of a creepy crawly splatter flick, I got wily white trash and dense dialogue. Okay, I am not one of the elite filmamaticians or someone who researches a lot about a movie before I view it — in fact I’m the opposite; I’d rather go into the theatre devoid of preconceptions, happiest when I haven’t even seen the trailer. But even Chris, who was aware Bug was based on a stage play, was offput. Unlike Chris (lucky lucky Chris), I cannot walk away from a movie even if I don’t like it. It’s a curse, but I just have to complete it. I guess that’s the diehard optimist in me, or wait, is that masochist?

Anyway, Bug takes place in a motel room, the whole movie. There are two major players: Agnes White (Ashley Judd) and Peter Evans (Michael Shannon). Agnes gets slapped around by her ex and ex-convict fresh out of jail Jerry (Harry Connick Jr, who just keeps getting creepier and creepier looking) and shacks up with Peter, a guy she just met. Agnes, obviously wrought with loneliness, guilt, naiveté, is the unwitting victim in this escalating drama. While you are relieved at first that maybe Peter has come to rescue her from domestic abuse and shame, that feeling is short-lived. After their first “date”/sex romp (the weirdest, grossest sex scene I have seen since the Reality Bites hairgreasefest), Peter wigs out over some imaginary aphids on the bed. He mumbles something to the effect of: “yah aphids.. they’re like plant louse… they’re biting me,” complaining matter-of-factly, forgetting that he’s not a plant.

If you want to quickly dismiss Bug, after this aforementioned scene, save yourself and quit watching! If you want to get deeply or even moderately involved in the plot, plod on, maybe question whether Agnes inscribed demons of her own.. was she truly plagued by prank calls in the beginning of the movie or was she just as paranoid as Peter? Hard liquor swiggin’, snortin’ coke and smokin’ crack, just a few of Agnes (or maybe her only) pastimes are a proven gateway to paranoia. Her loneliness could easily drive her to cling to the obviously detrimental relationship with a man hellbent on conspiracy theories. Her low level of education also allowed her to place Peter on a pedestal; she wanted to believe him if only that would make him stay with her. Power of suggestion and a weak will and hardcore drugs? Ooh, a dangerous cocktail indeed.

I’m not sure why they chose Ashley Judd for this role. I can guess why she wanted it, hot on the heels of an Oscar-winning makeup-less Halle Berry or accredited Charlize Theron proving their lack of talent spills over even when they’re “ugly”.

Even though I watched the ending, I completely forgot what happened. Oh yah, they (select with your mouse to read>>) set themselves on fire. Now if I forgot an ending like that, you know it was because my curiosity and not my interest piqued.

About the Author

Kris Kobayashi-Nelson says these directors/screenwriters rarely disappoint: Peter Greenaway, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Gus van Sant. Gregg Araki. Kris claims that Jake Gyllenhaal, Cillian Murphy, Desmond Harrington and Casey Affleck are much more than pretty faces.