Shadows on the Wall

Bugonia

dir Yorgos Lanthimos
scr Will Tracy
prd Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen
with Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Alicia Silverstone, Stavros Halkias, J Carmen Galindez Barrera, Marc T Lewis, Vanessa Eng, Cedric Dumornay, Momma Cherri, Rafael Lopez Bravo, Teneisha Ellis
release US 24.Oct.25,
UK 7.Nov.25
25/US Focus 2h00

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Inspired by Jang Joon-hwan's 2003 cult classic Save the Green Planet!, Yorgos Lanthimos weaves his usual surrealism into a strikingly timely plot that's sharply well-played. Yes, the film is sharply pointed, exploring ideological clashes that flare everywhere because people are increasingly unable to empathise with each other. So the film feels bracingly important right now. And while it's funny, it also tips into some properly nasty horror.

In rural America, Teddy (Plemons) and his cousin Don (Delbis) are worried about aliens that killed their family, destroyed their community and are exterminating the bees. So they kidnap local drug company boss Michelle (Stone), because Teddy is certain that she is actually from the Andromeda galaxy. Their only demand is to meet her emperor, so she has no bargaining tools. And they don't believe a word she says. So the situation in their isolated house begins to get rather desperate. Especially when Teddy's old friend, local cop Casey (Halkias), drops by for a visit. Much of t

his plays out as a garish black comedy, with literal explosions of ghastly violence. After grabbing Michelle, Teddy and Don quickly shave her head because of course aliens use their hair to communicate with the mother ship. So Michelle now looks uncannily like a creature from outer space. Lanthimos also weaves in strikingly stylised black and white flashbacks from Teddy's past, involving his opioid-addicted mother (Silverstone) and her treatment with Michelle's drugs.

Plemons gives a powerfully committed performance as Teddy, whose enveloping rage against Michelle extends from something deeply personal to concern for the Earth as a whole. Teddy also deeply loves his cousin, and Plemons and Delbis create lovely camaraderie that's genuinely moving, especially as Don begins to have his doubts. Meanwhile, Stone has a lot of fun as the slippery Michelle, who tries every trick imaginable to manipulate both of these men, from flat-out denials to playing along with them. She skilfully captures Michelle's quick thinking and tenacious physicality.

The contrast between these characters is inventively depicted as an extreme chasm, as Teddy's cluttered old family farmhouse and homemade workouts are crosscut against Michelle's sleek glass-box office, modern home, personal trainer, cosmetic gadgets and intense health regime. This economic gap creates makes it impossible for them to communicate, because they discount anything the other says. The present-day political parallels are somewhat obvious, but they are so important that the film can't be ignored. Especially as it spirals into a heart-stopping conclusion.

themes, language, violence 10.Oct.25 lff

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