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Bug

Bug

First they send in their drone... then they find their queen.

2006102 minRMidcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Director
William Friedkin
Starring
Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick Jr., Lynn Collins

In Oklahoma, Agnes, a lonely waitress living in an isolated and dilapidated roadside motel, meets Peter, a quiet and mysterious man with whom she establishes a peculiar relationship.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Bug?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Bug streaming on Howdy via Prime Video, Lionsgate+ via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free), The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Bug?

Bug earns 6 badges, led by Standout acting and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Bug worth watching?

Bug's Midcredits score is the 55th percentile of all films, from 91K ratings across 6 sources. 47% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

55th percentile

Better received than 55% of films

54th percentile among Drama52nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)60th
Approval (how many liked it)48th

64 /100

60th percentile of all films

60th percentile among Drama59th percentile among 2000s

Critics 62 · Audience 64

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

47% liked it

48th percentile of all films

45th percentile among Drama45th percentile among 2000s
47% rated it 7–1053% rated it 1–6

Critics 62% · Audience 34%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 6 noms overall

93rd percentile

91K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Drama88th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 54% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$4M
Opening weekend$3.2M
Domestic gross$7M
Worldwide gross$8.1M

Returned 2.0× its budget — 83rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A claustrophobic, stage-bound psychological drama about two people spiraling into paranoid delusion.

Fans praised

  • dual performances as a descent into shared psychosis
  • claustrophobic intensity from the single-room setting
  • unflinching look at paranoia and mental illness

Detractors panned

  • overwrought and ridiculous, with no subtlety
  • boring and predictable despite the premise
  • fails to deliver scares or a satisfying story

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Judd and Shannon are spellbinding, especially Shannon

AtmosphereDivisive80

claustrophobic and harrowing, but alienating for some

OriginalityDivisive80

unique and different, but some call it derivative

CharactersDivisive70

believable descent into codependent delusion, but detractors find them one-dimensional

Emotional impactDivisive65

disturbing and unsettling, but fails to move detractors

Plot and storyDivisive50

starts well but becomes repetitive and predictable

EndingDivisive40

silly, over-the-top, or unsatisfying

PacingDivisive35

tortuously slow and lagging towards the end

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 19 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Bug like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its descent into madness with unflinching seriousness and a palpable atmosphere of dread.
The rideThe dread and tension are sustained from the initial meeting through the deepening delusion.
StructureThe entire story unfolds inside a single motel room, with a traditional act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

Haunting · 14% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's bleak descent into madness lingers long after, leaving an unsettling sense of dread.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeTwo isolated people descend into shared paranoia and delusion, ending in mutual destruction.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfObsession
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Obsession · 3% of filmsIsolation · 5% of filmsTrauma · 7% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a shared obsessive delusion that consumes both characters, born from trauma and isolation.
StanceThe film questions the nature of shared delusion and reality without settling on answers.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
AmbientSupportive music · original score · Brian Tyler
Settinga rundown Oklahoma motel room
MusicThe ambient score likely underscores the creeping unease.

Content guide

Is Bug okay for kids?

R

Bug is rated R: “Rated R for some strong violence, sexuality, nudity, language and drug use” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (83/100), sexual content at moderate (58/100), language at intense (75/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (65/100) and frightening material at intense (76/100). Overall it is heavier than 81% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • JapanR18+
  • Brazil16
  • MexicoC
  • Norway15
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia16+
  • Sweden15
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 89% of all filmsHeavier than 81% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 69%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 71%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 65%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 83%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 73%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: violence, frightening material, language, and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Bug have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Bug?

Cast

Ashley Judd
as Agnes White
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Shannon
as Peter Evans
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Harry Connick Jr.
as Jerry Goss
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lynn Collins
as R.C.
Brían F. O'Byrne
as Dr. Sweet
Neil Bergeron
as Man in Grocery Store
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Bob Neill
as Pizza Harris
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Bug?

Movies like Bug include Tideland (2005), The Paperboy (2012) and The Cry of the Owl (2009). Of the 12 closest matches, half are psychological horror films, and most are films set in the rural American South.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its character type: toxic codependency. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Bug?

2.9K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: psychological horror. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.