Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, a real-life married couple, star as a couple facing marital crisis in Florian Zeller's new film, "Bunker." The thriller had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Bardem portrays Miguel, a successful Spanish architect living in London with his wife, Sofia, played by Cruz. While the couple appears to have an idyllic life with their two daughters, underlying tensions surface. Sofia observes that seemingly solid things can break, while fragile ones require more care, hinting at the fragility of their own relationship.
The central conflict arises when Miguel is offered a lucrative project by a tech billionaire: to design an Armageddon-proof bunker in Hawaii. Sofia vehemently opposes the idea, viewing it as a frivolous indulgence compared to Miguel's other work, such as designing hospitals and opera houses.
Parallel to this larger issue, Miguel becomes embroiled in a dispute with his working-class neighbor, Toby (Stephen Graham), who plans to convert his garage into a studio. Miguel's enraged reaction, offering financial incentives and threatening legal action to prevent the renovation, highlights for Sofia a warping of his values, where financial gain overshadows human decency.
Director Florian Zeller, known for his Oscar-winning film "The Father," explores the complexities of a marriage in "Bunker." The film incorporates moments of dark humor, including a satirical take on modern art and a mysterious tech billionaire whose identity is kept under wraps. Paul Dano makes a cameo appearance as the billionaire.
"Bunker" is noted for its narrative symmetry, drawing parallels between the proposed bunker and Miguel's increasing obsession with privacy. The film has been praised for the dynamic performances of Bardem and Cruz, who fluidly switch between English and Spanish.
The film is scheduled to open in the UK in February. It has been described as an intelligent picture that prompts reflection on the price of human decency.