Bug

My only previous exposure to the work of William Friedkin was THE EXORCIST, and I thought that was crap, but, watching BUG, all I could think was that it was the perfect movie for the man who made THE EXORCIST to make. For one thing, THE EXORCIST suffers from a sense of horror that was so in-your-face: loud and ludicrous, that I was bored. BUG, though, takes horror from a bubbling undercurrent higher and higher until it's in your face. For Friedkin's EXORCIST to not really "get" horror, and for BUG to get it, I was overwhelmingly pleased. It plays like a midnight movie, slow going and with a tone that feels like you're hanging out. But with its ease comes annoying phone calls, knocks on the door, visitors, and the original tone is shaken up. Agnes (Ashley Judd) wants to just pass out after a line of coke (don't we all?) but she's haunted by the ghosts of her past. She lost her son years ago, has an abusive husband who's just gotten out of jail even though "he wasn't supposed to get out this time." And then Peter comes into the picture. Michael Shannon, more like, his crazed eyes held in by the muscles surrounding them. Peter's soft spoken, even frail, and Agnes jumps on the opportunity until Peter starts to tell her about his life. He seems crazy...but is he? It's Michael Shannon, so probably yes, but Friedkin handles the situation as if it's ambiguous for most of the film, until the inevitable happens. It's like a good book. You knew the ending was coming the whole time, you just didn't want to believe it, and when it comes...

★★★★ out of Five