Bug

Bug

Year: 2007

Runtime: 102 min

Language: English

Director: William Friedkin

DramaThrillerHorror

A young girl's life takes a dark turn when she discovers a disturbing secret about her grandfather, the town's respected sheriff. Determined to uncover the truth, she investigates his past and finds herself confronting the possibility that he was connected to a terrible crime that has long affected the community. The investigation forces her to question everything she thought she knew about her family and the town she calls home.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Bug yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Bug (2007)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Bug (2007). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

The film does not explicitly specify a time period, allowing the events to feel timeless in their exploration of personal struggles, paranoia, and human connection. However, the contemporary references suggest a modern setting, emphasizing themes of disconnection and desperation in current society.

Location

Oklahoma

The film takes place in a run-down motel located in rural Oklahoma, often associated with a sense of isolation and desolation. This setting enhances the psychological tension of the story, providing a stark backdrop for Agnes and Peter's tumultuous relationship. Rural Oklahoma is known for its vast landscapes and tight-knit communities, serving as a contrast to the characters' feelings of alienation.

🏨 Motel 🌾 Rural

Last Updated: May 13, 2025 at 17:30

Main Characters – Bug (2007)

Meet the key characters of Bug (2007), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Agnes White

Agnes is a troubled woman haunted by her past and deeply affected by her abusive ex-husband. Struggling with loneliness and regret, her character embodies vulnerability and desperation as she seeks connection with Peter. Her emotional turmoil leads her to make drastic decisions as she grapples with her reality.

👩‍🎤 Struggles 💔 Heartbreak

Peter Evans

Peter is a shy and enigmatic man who becomes entangled in Agnes's life. His experiences in the U.S. Army and subsequent paranoia about being pursued reflect his psychological fragility. As he develops a bond with Agnes, his descent into madness raises questions about trust and reality.

🧠 Paranoia 💔 Love

Jerry Goss

Jerry is Agnes's abusive ex-husband, representing the lingering shadows of her past. His confrontational and domineering nature exacerbates Agnes's fears and insecurities. He serves as a catalyst for the chaos that unfolds in the story, impacting both Agnes and Peter significantly.

👊 Abuse ⚡ Control

Last Updated: May 13, 2025 at 17:30

Major Themes – Bug (2007)

Explore the central themes of Bug (2007), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🦠 Paranoia

Paranoia is a central theme, as both Agnes and Peter spiral deeper into their delusions surrounding their pasts and fears of external threats. Their mutual sense of being pursued by unseen forces leads to an intense psychological breakdown. This theme reflects the impact of trauma and the fragility of the human mind under stress.

🔥 Desperation

Desperation pervades the narrative as characters confront their harsh realities and seek solace in each other amidst profound loneliness. Their circumstances drive them to extreme actions, culminating in a tragic conclusion. This theme underscores the lengths individuals will go to escape their pain and find connection.

💔 Isolation

Isolation manifests both physically and emotionally, as characters reside in a motel—a symbol of transient living. The film explores how isolation can lead to distorted perceptions and dangerous decisions. Agnes and Peter's relationship forms a brief refuge from their lonely existences but ultimately becomes a source of further despair.

Last Updated: May 13, 2025 at 17:30

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about shared psychosis like Bug

Stories of contagious paranoia where a relationship becomes a mutual prison.If you liked the intense, claustrophobic paranoia of Bug, you'll find more movies like it here. This collection features psychological thrillers and dramas where characters spiral into a shared delusion, often in isolated or oppressive settings, creating a similarly feverish and unhinged atmosphere.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically center on a fragile character who encounters someone with a fixed, paranoid belief system. Through isolation and emotional manipulation, the delusion spreads, creating a self-contained world with its own logic. The story unfolds as this shared reality intensifies, often culminating in a destructive and tragic endpoint that validates their darkest fears.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together because they share a core fascination with the mechanics of shared mental illness. They create a specific, oppressive mood defined by anxiety, paranoia, and a sense of inescapable dread. The pacing often escalates from steady to frantic, matching the characters' deteriorating mental states.

Contained psychological thrillers like Bug

Intense character studies where a single location becomes a pressure cooker for madness.Find more movies like Bug that master the art of the single-location thriller. These films use their limited settings to create intense, character-driven stories of psychological unraveling, perfect for viewers who appreciate a claustrophobic atmosphere and deep-dive into a character's breakdown.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves characters trapped, either physically or emotionally, in a confined space. External plot is minimized in favor of internal conflict. The story progresses through escalating confrontations and revelations that occur within the boundaries of the setting, leading to a climax that is often psychologically or physically explosive.

Why These Movies?

These movies are connected by their masterful use of a limited setting to generate tension and focus on character psychology. They share a slow-burn or variable pacing that builds to intense crescendos, a dark or tense tone, and a heavy emotional weight derived from watching a mind come apart at the seams.

Unlock the Full Story of Bug

Don't stop at just watching — explore Bug in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Bug is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Bug Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Bug, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Bug Summary

Bug Timeline

Track the full timeline of Bug with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Bug Timeline

Bug Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Bug that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Bug Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Bug

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Bug: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Bug

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