Laura Linney Calls ‘Congo’ Her “Great Bad Movie,” and She’s F****** Right

This is so random, but a few weeks ago, I found out a number of my friends from different circles in my life had never seen the 1995 adventure horror comedy ape romance movie Congo. It disturbed me, because the Michael Crichton novel and the Frank Marshall movie were huge parts of my childhood.

So, I set out to make the world a better place and to get them all to watch.

Somehow, I got them all to individually rent the movie, so if those residual checks ticked up in the last few weeks, it's thanks to me.

Anyway, this is all to say I have a very soft spot for the movie. So I was elated when, in a recent interview with The Independent , acclaimed actress Laura Linney looked back at her career, touched on heavy hitters like Ozark and The Truman Show. and then waxed poetic about Congo.

Check it out below, and let's dive in after.

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The "Delightmare" of Congo

In the clip, Linney referred to Congo as "one of the great bad movies of our time," even coining a new term for it: a "delightmare."

I legitimately was cackling during the clip. Mostly because I loved how Linney handled herself and her work. She was proud of it, and she should be. She is awesome in that movie. She took the role seriously, and she seems like she's having fun on screen. Years later, I love that she still loves it and finds joy in it.

"I haven’t watched it in so long," Linney told The Independent. "I’ll go back to it when I’m really old and want to feel good about myself, and be like, 'Oh God, I was young. I was sweet – look at that. And look at my arms!'"

I want to watch it with her. I hope she does a roadshow tour.

The Takeaway for Filmmakers

From a filmmaking perspective, Congo is a fascinating case study in the transition between practical effects and the CGI revolution sparked by Jurassic Park (Spielberg, 1993) just two years prior.

Both were Michael Crichton books based heavily on science and technology. Congo, the book, had all the makings of a blockbuster movie in the same vein. But the one for the movie was different, and it had more in common with old serials.

Congo leaned heavily into Stan Winston-designed animatronics and suit actors. The result is a film that feels tangible, sweaty, and undeniably campy.

It's so much fun to watch. It kind of mixes and mashes genres. It was a great education for me when I was coming up because it had so many tropes from different kinds of films; it was like a bunch of smaller lessons.

And if you make a movie like Congo , know that the experience of making the film is often more important than the critical consensus.

Summing It All Up

Go watch Congo , if not for me, for yourself. To see a young Laura Linney being pretty hot, and to see someone in an ape suit who may or may not be in a romantic relationship with her handler.

Watch it for the diamonds and the Bruce Campbell cameo and everything else.

You might just see a "delightmare" that will be cherished for decades.

Let me know what you think in the comments.