A powerful CEO (Emma Stone) is kidnapped by conspiracy theorists convinced she's an alien intent on destroying Earth in Yorgos Lanthimos' dark comedy "Bugonia."
Teddy (Jesse Plemons, right) plots with his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) to prevent an alien takeover of Earth in "Bugonia."
Emma Stone had her head shaved to play a CEO kidnapped because she's believed to be an alien bent on Earth's destruction in the dark comedy "Bugonia."

Would a malevolent extraterrestrial dramatically sing along to Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” and sip from her Stanley on the way home from work?

Absurdity is a hallmark of Yorgos Lanthimos movies (“The Favourite,” “Poor Things”) and “Bugonia” (★★★ out of four; rated R; in select theaters now and nationwide Oct. 31) offers up dark-web weirdness and sci-fi paranoia amid a gonzo comedy/psychological romp. While tonally jumbled and at times violently jarring, the movie delivers strange vibes and extremely strong performances from Jesse Plemons at his oddball finest and Emma Stone, who may or may not be from our planet.

Teddy (Plemons) is a sweaty, nervy conspiracy theorist factory worker who believes a race of aliens called Andromedans is bent on destroying Earth and controlling mankind. Imparted with this knowledge through his beekeeping hobby and many trips down online rabbit holes, he trains with his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) for the coming conflict.

The aliens are among us, it seems, and Teddy believes Michelle Fuller (Stone), the awkward and somewhat cold-blooded CEO of a huge pharmaceutical company, is one of them. Donning cheap Jennifer Aniston masks, the two guys kidnap Michelle (she gets a few judo moves in for hilarity), shave her head and slather on “anti-alien” lotion to keep her from contacting her mothership, and chain her up in the basement.

Michelle proclaims her innocence, but Teddy balks, “knowing” that the lunar eclipse in four days might be humanity’s last stand unless they do something.

So is this just some light criminal kidnapping or are the stakes here intergalactic? Did Michelle girl boss too close to the sun or is she actually from outer space? That mystery plays out in the delicious battle of wills between Teddy and Michelle, who tries to appeal to the more innocent Don that what they’re doing isn’t OK, as well as a bananas ending that’s bleak and touching. A thoughtful gut punch, if you will.

Why is Emma Stone's new movie called 'Bugonia'?

The showdowns between Michelle and Teddy are a joy, as Stone and Plemons inhabit characters that (purposefully) stay enigmatic until truths are revealed in "Bugonia." (The movie title refers to the ancient Greek belief that bees spawn from dead cows.)

With a bald noggin and spattered in white goo, Stone looks otherworldly while defending her humanity. Michelle is one of the more interesting characters in the two-time Oscar winner’s catalog, a powerful executive who passive-aggressively controls her employees and doesn’t suffer tinfoiled fools.

Plemons juggles passionate righteousness and relatable vulnerability. His ailing mother (Alicia Silverstone) is the cause for a lot of his oddball beliefs, yet Teddy begins to lose control of the situation, and Plemons always excels at playing frazzled messes. And Delbis, a newcomer on the autism spectrum, nabs a breakthrough performance playing Don as he’s torn between two strong-willed personas. One downside about Will Tracy’s busy and bonkers screenplay is that there’s not enough development of him as a significant figure.

Lanthimos is a frequent Oscar player, but it’s clear that, while the usual high-level filmmaking is still there, “Bugonia” aims for entertaining audiences rather than picking up trophies. It’s one of the director’s most accessible outings, even if proudly kooky. And while not exactly subtle in making points about the dangers of human isolation and how we treat others – and how mankind treats the planet – the movie would rather blow your mind than expand it.

How to watch 'Bugonia'

"Bugonia," the sci-fi dark comedy starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, is in select theaters now and nationwide Oct. 31. It's rated R by the Motion Picture Association "for bloody violent content including a suicide, grisly images and language."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Emma Stone might be an alien in the deliciously weird 'Bugonia' – Review

Reporting by Brian Truitt, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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