“BUGONIA” IS WORTH MORE THAN ONE WATCH
BY SUSIE IANNONE PHOTO BY UNIVERSAL PICTURES
In our current political climate, the idea of objective truths seems to be questioned left and right in our modern media, especially with the rise of conspiracies and elaborate stories concocted through algorithm manipulation. “Bugonia” comments on both sides of this narrative. Even with objective truths presented, the audience can’t help but question every fact that’s spewed.
Teddy, played by Jesse Plemons, and his strangely close cousin, Don Gatz, live together in a rural area. Teddy works for a major pharmaceutical and medical corporation, scanning packages to make a living. Both men are immersed in the idea of outer space life, alien civilizations, and elaborate plans created by these aliens to destroy civilization on Earth. Teddy rambles about neurons, energy waves, and even the industrial complexity of the supposed lifestyle of otherworldly creatures. Despite Don’s quiet demeanor and unsure personality, he adores his cousin and chooses to trust his every word.
Emma Stone plays Michelle Fuller, a business tycoon with an incredibly rigorous routine and lifestyle. Her interactions with her staff are presented as impersonal and based on corporate comfort language to confuse her intentions, and they seem to be based on monetary gain. The narrative alludes to her failure in maintaining safe substances for the medical industry to use, as she constantly brings up the public persona of saving face to her consumers.
Teddy, whose mother was a victim of a failed drug produced by Fuller’s company, plans his revenge slowly and carefully, enlisting his cousin Don in kidnapping Michelle. They plan to force her hand and prove that she is not a human, but an entity from another planet intent on unraveling human nature. Fuller is strapped to a table in their basement and questioned repeatedly about her intentions on Earth, continuously beaten down physically and psychologically. Even in her struggle, Fuller is incredible at manipulating the situation, drawing in her opponent through her diverse vocabulary and fabulous cadence of speech, ultimately leaving them confused and frustrated.
Teddy is written as a character the audience both pities and hates, simultaneously surprising us with long tangents that end up in some profound thought, and silencing the room in response. This contrasts well with the music in the film, which is utilized in Teddy’s moments of desperation and intense action. Even riding his bike, the music provides a sense of impending doom, and is proven shortly later, scene by scene. Color is used well, especially in flashback scenes where a black-and-white frame floods the screen. In true Yorgos Lanthimos fashion, symbolism and strange occurrences contribute to the narrative through color, character, and lines.
From Teddy’s paranoid thought process presented on screen, to the incredible dialogue shared between him and Michelle throughout their fight for power, “Bugonia” is a journey through the meaning of life, the true intentions of corporate lingo, and the inevitable connection to nature each of us shares despite our constant stream of overpowering thoughts. The tonal range sticks to the mood of the film, always leaving you on the edge of your seat. Even in its gory, visceral, and intense moments, both Stone and Plemmons give an incredible performance. In the end, you may find yourself questioning certain objective truths, the manipulation of digital media, and the true meaning of human interaction.
