Dust Bunny – Review and Summary
Dust Bunny is unquestionably a Bryan Fuller film, as it mixes in adult themes, like murder, with a pseudo-childlike whimsy.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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What Is Dust Bunny About?
- Director(s): Bryan Fuller
- Writer(s): Bryan Fuller
- Distributor: Roadside Attractions
- Runtime: 1 Hour(s) and 46 Minutes
- Public Release Date (In Theaters): December 12, 2025
- Genre(s): Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
- Content Rating: Rated R
- Primary Language: English
- More Information (External Link)
Aurora is a chronically fostered kid due to her parents’ disappearance. She claims a monster under her bed eats them, but a hit man, the FBI, and many others are about to discover if that’s true – and pay the consequences.
Cast and Characters
Aurora (Sophie Sloan)
- Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
- Character Summary: Currently venturing beyond her third set of parents, Aurora is an imaginative girl who believes a monster under her bed wants to eat her and anyone who gets close to her.
The Hitman (Mads Mikkelsen)
- Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
- Character Summary: The Hitman is Aurora’s neighbor who takes note of her after he follows her one night.
The Hitman’s Contact, Laverne (Sigourney Weaver)
- Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
- Character Summary: The Hitman’s Contact, or handler, is someone who isn’t fond of Aurora knowing he exists, and while she has a fairly sunny disposition, there is a darkness to her.
What To Expect In “Dust Bunny” (Rated R) – Content Overview
- Graphic Imagery or Violence:
- Gun Violence: Extensive
- Violence Against Animals: Yes (Context: Attempted Violence On A Giant Rabbit)
- Violence Against Children: Yes (Context: Aurora Is Put In Many Dangerous Situations)
- Gore/ Blood/ Body Horror: Mild
- Miscellaneous:
- Drinking: Yes
Review and Commentary
Highlight(s)
How It Keeps You Invested Despite Minimal Dialog Early On [82/100]
For the first quarter of the film, there is minimal dialogue. Aurora and her then foster parents talk, but the gaps are so wide that it almost seems like Bryan Fuller wanted more focus on what could be felt than said. This makes it so, between Aurora discovering her hitman neighbor, tracking him, and watching him fight a monster, a risk is taken that these people can be interesting enough to not need to say something clever – and it works.
Aurora and her home life raise enough of an eyebrow to make you want to see how this plays out, and with Mads Mikkelsen’s character being notably peculiar, they carry the film well enough that you could imagine Fuller pulling a Wes Anderson-style movie and doing well.
The Banter Among Characters [83/100]
Thankfully, however, once people start talking, you don’t end up wishing they would stop. Aurora, her hitman neighbor, and his handler, Laverne, have the kind of back-and-forth between them that goes well for those with dry humor. Aurora is just precocious enough for it to be understood; she has been through some things without the push that could veer her towards annoying. The hitman and his handler’s eyebrow-raising relationship will make you laugh, want captions sometimes to know the exact words they are saying, and when either interacts with Aurora? It’s comical.
From the running gag of the hitman mispronouncing Aurora’s name, to him not believing her about the monsters, and her robbing a church to pay him, there is light but still chuckle-worthy humor. The hitman’s handler and Aurora, though, with her seemingly not being fond of children, or at least having anyone know who they are, perhaps might be the funniest duo.
On The Fence
Keeping Things On A Need-To-Know Basis [77/100]
Dust Bunny clearly is an odd world. Monsters may live under your bed, there is a need for hitmen, and most of it isn’t explained; it just is. This could be fine for most, especially fans of Fuller and the eccentric worlds he creates. However, how a girl could conjure a monster with a wish, the background of the hitman and handler, and then all these strange characters, you may find yourself wanting to know more.
Unfortunately, the more never comes, and you may get hints here and there, a line that provides some direction, but maybe not the download that, for those of us a bit more inquisitive, may want.
Overall
Our Rating (80/100): Positive (Worth Seeing)
Comical and well cast, even though at times it may feel like you are more so teased about what is going on beyond what Aurora can be made privy to, Dust Bunny is a wonderful reminder of Bryan Fuller’s ability to build a world and characters where and who, even with a sometimes minimalist touch, can easily hook you.
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