September 27th Log

BUG
2007, William Friedkin, United States
1st Viewing, DVD

Tracy Letts adapted the screenplay from his own play and hired crafty filmmaker William Friedkin to direct. The result is an excellent film. One that grabs you into it’s paranoid world through the claustrophobic atmosphere. Friedkin effectively plays with the theatrical focus of the film, by expressively creating a closed-in surrounding of paranoia. I guess you can consider this a horror film because it is difficult to classify, but to me it is something else. Ashley Judd gives a terrific performance which very well may be her best since her incredible lead in 1993’s Ruby in Paradise. The film is a deeply metaphoric one raising important social questions within it’s bizarre world of hallucinations and paranoia. I’m not sure is this is a film for everyone, but I think it is an interesting and bold achievement.