BUGONIA
Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis
Release: Thursday 23rd October 2025
Rating: ★★★☆☆
There’s no denying that director Yorgos Lanthimos has carved a space of his own in modern cinema — a realm where absurdity and discomfort collide with brilliance. Following his Oscar-winning collaboration with Emma Stone in Poor Things and the acclaimed The Favourite, he once again reunites with his muse in Bugonia, a darkly comic, psychologically tense ride that’s as odd as it is original.
The story centres on two conspiracy-obsessed men (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) who kidnap Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the CEO of a powerful pharmaceutical company. They’re convinced she’s an alien plotting humanity’s destruction — and what unfolds is an eerie, off-kilter standoff between paranoia and power.
Visually and tonally, this is pure Lanthimos — sleek compositions, deadpan dialogue, and bursts of shocking absurdity. The film’s dark humour walks a razor’s edge, provoking both laughter and unease. While the first hour grips with its claustrophobic tension and sharp performances, the film’s length and pacing stretch patience. At over two hours, it begins to feel like a psychological experiment we’re all trapped in.
That said, Emma Stone once again proves why she’s Lanthimos’s favourite collaborator. Her performance is fearless — oscillating between charm, menace, and mystery. Jesse Plemons is equally compelling, grounding the madness with quiet intensity, while newcomer Aidan Delbis adds a layer of unpredictable energy.
By the end, Bugonia leaves you questioning what’s real, what’s absurd, and what it all means — which, in true Lanthimos fashion, might be the point.
Verdict: Totally weird, occasionally brilliant, and bound to divide audiences. It may not make mainstream headlines, but it could very well land Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in next year’s awards conversations.
3 out of 5 stars — dark, funny, too long, but undeniably Lanthimos.
Caroline Russo Review
