

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.
Acting
Michael Shannon's unhinged intensity is genuinely terrifying.
Direction
Friedkin traps you in that motel room until you can't breathe.
Writing
Tracy Letts' play adaptation simmers then explodes.

Director
William Friedkin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon originated these roles in Tracy Letts' 1996 stage production, performing together for years before this film adaptation.
Friedkin considered this his true spiritual successor to The Exorcist—both explore possession, but Bug asks: what if you willingly surrender your mind to another?