Caffeinated Clint
By half-way through, you’ll be wondering where you can share in the good weed that Friedkin was obviously smoking throughout production.
Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick Jr
In the supplementary materials on the DVD, “Bug” director William Friedkin mentions how his demand has dipped over the years. In the 70s and 80s the “Exorcist” and “To Live and Die in L.A” director had no trouble getting a film made, remarking that every studio in town wanted to work with him. Things changed in the 90s though, with Friedkin essentially only able to make a film if his wife (Paramount’s Sherry Lansing) got it made for him. And today, he mentions it’s very difficult for him to get something up – noting that financing can literally take years to generate. He doesn’t seem to have an answer for it – just that he’s gotten older – but to anyone else, the answer is clear.
The films Friedkin did in the 70s and 80s – which also included “Sorcerer” and “The French Connection” – were great; groundbreaking Hollywood epics that encompassed unique ideas; terrific direction and just as super performances by its leads. In the 90s, Friedkin got lazy, seemingly putting his hand up to direct anything that’d put food on the table – you can’t fault him for it, we all have to eat, but when his impromptu choices started to affect his career, maybe he should’ve considered eating scraps a few more nights of the week whilst hoping for the next “Exorcist” to arrive in the mail.
“Bug” comes on the back of a string of Friedkin flops – and flops for good reason; they were all lacklustre – “The Guardian”, “Jade”, “Rules of Engagement” and “The Hunted” failed to make much of an impression with anyone. And though his latest venture shows a little more thought, it’s still about as appealing as an egg milkshake on a hot day.
Starring Ashley Judd (where’s she been?), this fuster-cluck of a film fixes on a loose bartender (Judd), based out of a seedy motel, who makes buddies with a friend of a friend (Michael Shannon) whose seemingly a spanner short out of a tool box. After they do the deed, he starts to become paranoid of the bugs/insects in the motel room, and convinces his new shag that they better take precautions. Before they know it, their room is top to bottom clad with cellophane and their minds, completely gone.
This three-hander (Harry Connick Jr plays against type as Judd’s brutish ex, who floats back into her life at this inopportune time) may be imaginative, and it might feature some brave performances, but in terms of entertainment value it’s in a league of it’s own – playing in a game that nobody’s enjoying watching. It’s weird for weird’s sake with a point nobody much cares for it to be making. By half-way through, you’ll be wondering where you can share in the good weed that Friedkin was obviously smoking throughout production.
The DVD features a commentary by the director, an intro, a conversation with the man about his career, some deleted scenes and trailers.
This one will “Bug” you. It did me.
Rating : 
Reviewer : Clint Morris
