Bigbug is a French science-fiction comedy film, written and directed by Oscar-nominated French film-maker Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who is known for his whimsical touch on his films. Bigbug was released on 11 February 2022 by the streaming service Netflix and it stars Elsa Zylberstein, Isabelle Nanty, Youssef Hajdi, Alban Lenoir and François Levant.The film is set in 2045 where robot helpers are common in households. The plot centers on the story of a blended family in a suburban neighborhood who are forcefully locked by their household robots to protect them from a militaristic breed of androids who attempt to take over. In Jean-Pierre Jeune’s interview with New York Times, he shared that the concept of Bigbug was based on the desire to make a cheap movie: “the concept of Bigbug was rooted in wanting to make a cheap movie with a single set.” He further shared that “It was a concept to write a story with people stuck in a room and it was created before Covid, which is funny.” The Guardian published a review of the film and wrote, “Thinking beyond the containment of his chamber-piece setup, Jeunet indulges in some universe-building that takes his signature combination of the morbid and silly to a brighter, peppier register.” If you enjoyed the sci-fi fantasy film and you’re looking for similar movies to binge on, here are five of our recommendations.
Robot & Frank
Robot & Frank is a 2012 American science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Jake Schreier with a screenplay by Christopher Ford. Just like Bigbug, the film is set in the future and it centers on the story of Frank Weld, played by Frank Langella, an aging jewel thief who is starting to succumb to dementia. His son decides to buy him a domestic robot to accompany him and take care of his needs. While Frank is initially resistant, he finds a way to utilize the robot to help him in his career as a thief. Robot & Frank was the first feature film for both Schreier and Ford, and it received critical acclaim and won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. In a review by Los Angeles Times, they described the film, saying, “Everything about “Robot & Frank” is as unlikely as it is irresistible. Charming, playful and sly, it makes us believe that a serene automaton and a snappish human being can be best friends forever.”
The City of Lost Children
If you liked Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s creative style in Bigbug, his 1995 fantasy film The City of Lost Children (French: La Cité des enfants perdus) which he co-directed with Marc Caro and a screenplay he co-wrote with Gilles Adrien is definitely worth watching. The film follows Krank (Daniel Emilfork), an old scientist who kidnaps children and steal their dreams in his wish to slow down his aging and avoid death. With 5-year old Denree (Joseph Lucien) kidnapped, his father One (Ron Perlman) and friend Miette (Judith Vittet) find a way to save Denree and defeat the evil scientist. The film’s aesthetic was described in a review by Roger Ebert. “The movie is an expensive, high-tech French production, using more special effects than any other French film in history, and it is appropriate that a lot of its look seems inspired by that Parisian visionary, Jules Verne.”
Brazil
Brazil is a 1985 dystopian black comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam, Charles McKeown, and Tom Stoppard. The film has darker themes compared to Bigbug and stars Jonathan Pryce alongside Robert De Niro, Kim Greist, Michael Palin, Katherine Helmond, Bob Hoskins, and Ian Holm. The film is set in a dystopian world and follows Sam Lowry, who has a monotonous job and has a recurrent daydream involving a beautiful woman. Lowry finally meets the woman in his daydream and gets entangled into a web of lies as he helps her. The film is usually described as reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Guardian described the film saying, “Beautifully staged, in many now demolished buildings that formed Britain’s industrial landscape, Brazil is Monty Python meets George Orwell and it’s as clever, witty and subversive as that sounds.”
Ron’s Gone Wrong
If you want a family-friendly film to watch similar to Bigbug, the computer-animated science-fiction comedy film Ron’s Gone Wrong is a perfect choice. The film was directed by Sarah Smith and Jean-Philippe Vine, co-directed by Octavio E. Rodriguez, produced by Julie Lockhart and Lara Breay, and written by Peter Baynham and Smith. The film follows a socially awkward boy Barney voiced byJack Dylan Grazer and his defective robot Ron, voiced by Zach Galifianakis. With Ron being defective, the executives of the company try to take away Ron from Barney to ensure they keep their good reputation and stock price. The film also features the voices of Ed Helms, Justice Smith, Rob Delaney, Kylie Cantrall, Ricardo Hurtado, and Olivia Colman. The Hollywood Reporter praised the film’s humor and charm and wrote “Ron’s Gone Wrong may just capture one of the most realistic sci-fi futures seen onscreen in recent memory, in that it barely feels like a sci-fi future at all…But what the animated feature lacks in daring imagination, it makes up for with endearing good humor, thoughtful cultural critique and one heck of a cute robot.”
Amelie
If you admired Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s artistic style in Bigbug, you have to watch his Oscar-nominated film Amélie. The 2001 French-language romantic comedy film which he directed and co-wrote with Guillaume Laurant depicts contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. The film follows the adventures of shy and lonely but imaginative waitress Amélie Poulain, played by Audrey Tautou, who has decided to live a life helping and making others happy. The film also features Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta, Serge Merlin, Jamel Debbouze, Claire Maurier, Clotilde Mollet, Isabelle Nanty, Dominique Pinon, Artus de Penguern, Yolande Moreau, Urbain Cancelier, and Maurice Bénichou in supporting roles. The film received critical acclaim and received several accolades which include winning Best Film at the European Film Awards, four César Awards, including Best Film and Best Director. Amelie also won two British Academy Film Awards, including Best Original Screenplay, and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Screenplay. The Guardian praised Tautou’s performance in the film saying “Amelie’s charm will be a moot point for many people. Tautou has got an attractive address to the camera, and her bohemian eccentricity hints at Holly Golightly or even – at two or three removes – Sally Bowles.”
Follow Us
