Bugonia – REVIEW & COCKTAILS – The Martini Shot

No human being deserves more rest since God created the universe in six days than that Yorgos Lathimos. The man has quickly become one of Hollywood’s favorite auteurs and managed to produce three quite standout films in the last three years. Of course there are those that are critically acclaimed and Oscar winners Bad Things in 2023, the anthology seems to be immediately discarded Types of Kindness in 2024, and finally, Bugonia in 2025. Time to take a break, friends. You’ve earned it. Let Emma Stone go home to your husband and children now.

Lathimos’ films have always been a little out of the ordinary, often blending the dark side of the human soul with absurdist, wacky comedy. There is a lot of consistency in the themes of his work, playing with the idea of ​​power and control as a means of influencing others. And Bugonia it makes no difference, so the good news is that we have other antiques Lathimos film, and the bad news is that we have another vintage film Lathimos film.

Bugonia it’s certainly both a joyous and a deeply sad moment, one we’d be surprised not to have in one or the other Lathimos’ film. It offers a solid and timely character study that delves into the minds of oppressed people and oppressors, analyzing what makes them do the things they do and believe the things they believe. Perhaps to no one’s surprise, he manages to direct all his stars very well, with each member of the small cast managing to shine in a different way. So, as a film, it’s pretty good, but as a message or satire… well, that’s where I think it falls a little flat. The overarching idea becomes very muddled as the film goes on, and by the time the credits roll, you’re not entirely sure about the larger message. Lathimos propose. The film shines when its spotlight is on an individual, but stumbles over its words when forced to take a step back and look at the world. It feels like that Lathimos There wasn’t really anything interesting to add to the conversation, but at least he made it as tight and lively as possible.

So after being known as the person who elevates a film despite only being in it for a few minutes, Jesse Plemons finally gets his time to shine in his best role. He plays Teddy, a man obsessed with conspiracy theories whose series of tragedies in his life have driven him to make a crucial decision to, in his mind, save humanity. This is the type of character that I think would be very difficult to strike the right balance with. He believes seemingly ridiculous things about the world and how it works, but there’s still a hint of compassion that feels very grounded. Rather than completely treating Teddy as a self-absorbed lunatic, the film goes deeper into how he ended up this way. This stops it from being a caricature as the film tries to understand how people change because of their circumstances. There’s a hint of self-righteousness and hypocrisy about him, which I think is very reflective of people who really want to be right. somethinganything that gives them an advantage over the population. But as time goes on, you see real noble purpose in her efforts, as her potential hysteria is fueled by her need to fight for her mother, her cousin, and the planet as a whole. Plemon Physically does a great job of nailing a character like this, blending self-confidence and self-doubt in a way that makes him the perfect type of protagonist you’d want to root for.

And I don’t think it’s surprising to say that Emma Stone very good. Another extraordinary physical transformation she underwent, transforming from girlboss CEO to aspiring alien. And honestly, there’s probably no better person to take on this role. His large eyes, the slight slouch he showed in that coat; everything went well. Rock is such an authoritative presence here, sometimes far from being able to speak in company, but because he really believe what he said, that’s what made his words so cold. By the way, I love how the film frames this form of vacuous corporate dialogue. It’s been so carefully crafted to sound appealing to human ears that, at this point, it sounds very fake, contrived, so…alien, if I may. If you’ve ever worked at any company, you know what I’m talking about. Despite spending most of the film tied up, he controls most of the dialogue, which is great to see as it slowly peels back the layers of all the characters involved. Plus, it can’t be understated how good it is Aidan Delbis is as Teddy’s intellectually disabled cousin, Don. A performance filled with so much tenderness and trust that it’s ultimately soul-crushing. Oh hey, and scream Stavros Halkias to make it to the big leagues. Sorry it had to be as a cop who fucks kids.

The film strikes a strong balance between simplicity and complexity in the way it builds its world. The take is very simple, but the coloring makes the world pop but still has a nice layer of grime on top. The booming orchestral soundtrack is a nice throwback and really helps enhance the tense moments of inner and outer panic. And without giving away where the story is going… well, that’s not the hardest thing to predict. But when all the dressings are working properly, guessing the direction isn’t much of a problem. You’re more interested in seeing the characters change than answering your questions, which is the mark of a truly talented director. Which, yeah, I think that’s enough time for us to make a call Lathimos That.

But unfortunately, this wasn’t a complete homerun for me. While the first and second acts are exciting and interesting, the third act ends up being a bit of a mess. It’s still a lot of fun to watch, but the overall story starts to get a little hazy. The film targets many talking points; corporations that destroy the environment, honest, hard workers manipulated and exploited, and bees. Hasn’t anyone thought of bees? This goes hand in hand with some of the surface level criticism before the third act turns everything around. It was a welcome glitch in the story, but ultimately left me confused about what the film was ultimately trying to convey. Saying nothing is a disservice Lathimos and the content of his work, but in my opinion this idea is not as complete as his other films. Every difficult area it digs into is simply erased in the end, sacrificing some character building for some strange decisions that don’t make sense when you go back and ponder it all over again. But definitely, it makes me want to watch it again just to find out what I missed. If there’s more to unpack, I’d love to discuss it further, but for now, it leaves me feeling a little empty.

But even without a truly interesting or provocative take on the “us vs. them” dilemma, Bugonia still features a highly entertaining pseudo-sci-fi tale filled with suspense, uncomfortable laughs, and a grim conclusion. The story contained within leaves enough wiggle room for some excellent character work that I only wish could have been made more satisfying. Overall, no Lathimos’ most of the works are existing or interesting, but those are definitely worth your attention. I myself welcome our new insect overlords. They couldn’t do a worse job of running this place than we did.

RATING

QUEEN BEE

For this drink, I wanted to keep things nice and simple, because if you’ve never had a New York Sour before, hopefully this will convince you to do so. It’s essentially a whiskey sour with a hint of red wine floating on top, which adds complexity to the drink. But for the Queen Bee, we’ll combine the New York Sour with another classic cocktail, the Gold Rush. This would give the cocktail a slightly different, slightly botanical flavor compared to a regular New York Sour, while visually it would reflect the simmering anger that is bubbling to the surface of our main character. Applying lotion to your body first is not mandatory, but is recommended.

INGREDIENTS

• 2oz overproof bourbon
• 3/4oz honey syrup/liquor
• 3/4oz lemon juice
• Float: red wine

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add ingredients to a shaker and shake with ice.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Slowly pour the red wine down the back of a spoon over the cocktail to create a layer of red.