Bunnylovr (Sundance 2025) Review – Is It Wrong To Judge Someone By Their Kinks?
“Bunnylovr” presents subtle and tame in ways that indeed are not for everyone.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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“Bunnylovr” Film Details
Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes
Release Date: January 30, 2025
Initially Available On/Via: Film Festival – Sundance
Advisory Film Rating: Not Rated
Genre(s): Drama, Young Adult
Director(s): Katarina Zhu
Writer(s): Katarina Zhu
Plot Summary
Becca is a cam girl who works part-time while working for a private office during the day, and her life isn’t necessarily remarkable. She sometimes hangs out with her friend Bella, meets a cute guy on occasion, and even tries to stay in touch with her sometimes illusive father, William. However, when one of the men who pays her on cam, John, takes a notable interest, Becca decides to allow some boundaries to blur.
Character Descriptions
Becca (Katarina Zhu)
Becca is a cam girl, partly for the money but also for the social interaction. She works in a private office to make ends meet. But when not working, she usually can be found with Bella or wondering where her dad, William, is.
Bella (Rachel Sennott)
Bella is an artist in Brooklyn who makes paintings. She considers Becca her muse and also one of her longest friends. However, with Becca very to herself, Bella does sometimes get frustrated that the length of their friendship doesn’t often allow for the kind of depth that would allow them to be closer.
- The actor is also known for their role in “I Used to Be Funny.”
William (Perry Yung)
William is Becca’s father, who appears to have a gambling addiction and may not be doing well health-wise. Now, whether one or both are reasons Becca presents the idea he wasn’t around much is hard to say. But it seems William is making an effort to reconcile with Becca.
- The actor is also known for their role in “The Equalizer: Season 2/ Episode 11.”
John (Austin Amelio)
John is one of Becca’s fans on her cam channel and the Pennsylvania native has an odd thing for bunnies.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Hit Man.”
Review
Characters
On The Fence
- Minimal Character Development [73/100]
No matter which character you may take an interest in initially, they will not back up that interest. Becca is like the blank canvases that Bella paints on, and while you can understand being a cam girl is good for extra money, what led to that over other alternatives? That isn’t gone into. What also isn’t gone into that deep is her relationship with William. It is made clear there is some level of estrangement there, but beyond him having a gambling problem, the why is never answered.
This is the consistent issue with “Bunnylovr,” no one answers the why. Why are Bella and Becca friends? Why did Becca decide to be a cam girl? Why did Becca decide to let John cross the line? Why does John have this weird thing with bunnies? You are left wondering so much that it frustrates you that you thought you saw something, but nothing ultimately ends up there.
World-Building & Culture
On The Fence
- Becca Is The Center Of Her World And Her World Is Gray [74/100]
In many ways, there is something there that could have been worked with when it comes to Becca’s world. She is a cam girl with a loyal following. She is Chinese and seems to traverse Chinatown in New York City, but at the same time, she is invited into Bella’s art world. But, as noted above, everything stays on the superficial level.
So, while we get to know John to a point, the rest of the people who watch Becca’s cam remain strangers. We don’t even learn much about what it is like to be a cam girl and create these parasocial relationships with people. Then, with Chinese culture, you may hear what I believe to be Mandarin, see certain architecture and decorations, or watch William play Mahjong, but again, what you get is largely superficial.
Then, in Bella’s world—honestly, it seems Becca has no interest in the world of Brooklyn artists, and you don’t blame her since Bella brings nothing enticing to that world.
Story & Pacing
Low Point(s)
- After A Certain Point, The Film Drags [67/100]
“Bunnylovr” doesn’t offer much beyond what could happen and doesn’t deliver on the storylines it sets up. From William and Becca potentially reconciling, the threat John could bring to Becca’s life, and other smaller storylines, because there is no sense of urgency or investment, and the luster wears off quickly, there comes a point the film drags, and outside of a random sexual scene or loud noise, it is easy to find yourself dulled into making “Bunnylovr” white noise for a nap.
Diverse Hooks & (Re)Watch Value
Low Point(s)
- It Seems The Only Hook Might Be The Question, What’s Up With Becca? [68/100]
When it comes to the hook of “Bunnylovr,” it is essentially: What’s up with Becca? As noted above, there are so many questions that can be posed, and you could create answers like, the reason Becca is drawn to the men she is might be due to wanting excitement in her life, because of her dad’s absence, or so she can feel as interesting as Bella? But, with barely there answers that you have to build up to the point they don’t feel canon, it can be hard to say anything that feels like a hook is good enough for you to want to rewatch with someone at all.
Overall
Our Rating of Bunnylovr (70/100): Mixed (Divisive)
To me, “Bunnylovr” feels like something that should have been a short. There is potential there from various avenues, as Becca offers you a lot of things to wonder about or ask about her life. However, not fully tapping into anything and giving what, at best, can be considered a slice of life, taking things as they come with the universe not interfering, often makes “Bunnylovr” feel very dull.
In some way, this could be the point, removing the sensationalism behind the idea of who cam girls are and showing many are normal and boring. But with us being the type who believes in the pursuit of art, you need to keep in mind commerce; it is hard not to believe “Bunnylovr” is an accomplishment for Katarina Zhu for finishing a movie, but I wouldn’t say this pushes you to want to see what’s next from her or anyone involved.
Content Information
- Dialog: Cursing, Derogatory Language
- Violence: Violence Against Animals
- Sexual Content: Nudity (Mild), Sexual Situations (Soft-C)
- Miscellaneous: Drinking, Drug Use, Smoking, Scenes of Urination
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