Bug
Starring Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon and Harry Connick Jr.
A great movie about paranoia and how one can be easily led on by someone with extremely strong convictions, regardless of how out of place or utterly false they are (or are they?). Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon give excellent performances in William Freidkin's best picture (imo) since The Exorcist itself. Based on an off-broadway play by the same name written by Tracy Letts. Michael Shannon reprises his stage role as Peter, a stranger with a scarred and potentially dangerous past. Starting out as an unassuming stranger invited to the motel home of Agnes (Ashley Judd), an isolated and deeply troubled individual living in constant fear of her abusive and manipulative ex-husband, Jerry. As their relationship starts out, Peter is seen as a guardian angel sent almost serendipitously from the heavens. He comforts. He doesn't ask for anything. He is near painfully perceptive. As things go along though, there is something terribly wrong and as Peter pulls Agnes under his wing and under his influence they both begin a descent into absolute madness.
One of the things I found most absorbing about the film is the element of "out of the frying pan and into the fire" that builds as the movie goes on.
With excellent performances, a challenging and disturbing premise about paranoia and the dangers of letting people into your life and Friedkin's expert understanding of the material and how to make the absolute best of his minimal sets this is one of the great unsung heroes in recent film history; and while things get a little absurd in the last act, I feel that it's only the logical progression and this film definitely gets my utmost reccommendation.
5/5