Love Lies Bleeding: Film Review
I loved Rose Glass‘ directorial debut Saint Maud and I am always seated for whatever Kristen Stewart stars in so I was obviously incredibly excited for Love Lies Bleeding – and it did not disappoint.
Set in the late ’80s in a small New Mexico town, this romance crime thriller stars Stewart as a reclusive gym manager named Lou who becomes attracted to – and falls in love with – a bodybuilder named Jackie (Katy O’Brian) who is passing through town en route to a competition in Las Vegas. As always, the course of love never does run smoothly and their relationship is tested by Lou’s abusive brother-in-law JJ (Dave Franco) and her criminal father Lou Sr. (Ed Harris).
Love Lies Bleeding is a propulsive, bold and unpredictable ride. I had no idea where it was going to go and I was thrilled by the narrative turns. There are unexpected fantastical elements, shocking moments of brutal violence and a surprising amount of laughs. I loved the slick pace, the sweaty and scuzzy vibe, and Glass and Weronika Tofilska‘s script – the characters’ turn of phrase, the wild plot developments and the dark sense of humour.
Much has been said about the sex scenes in this film and it feels refreshing to see lesbian sex depicted on screen like this. It’s usually reserved yearning or all-out like Blue is the Warmest Colour whereas this falls somewhere in the middle. The chemistry between Stewart and O’Brian is on fire and you fully believe they’re into each other.
I like how Love Lies Bleeding flips some of the usual tropes. Female bodies are depicted in a different way than usual – Jackie’s body is built for power and strength and the camera lingers on her muscles. She’s not there for male consumption. Also, Stewart’s character is often played by a man – the femme fatale comes to town and he has to clean up her mess – but it works so well as a woman. Plus, it’s refreshing that their sexuality isn’t the source of the drama; the central conflict comes from somewhere else.
Stewart has played LGBTQ characters on screen before (think Happiest Season) but this role is more unapologetically and explicitly queer than her previous work. She is the perfect fit for Lou; I could not think of anyone better for the part. O’Brian, a bodybuilder in real life, is a revelation here and I cannot wait to see what she does next. She is magnetic on-screen, her jacked body is unbelievable and she charts Jackie’s issues with substance addiction convincingly.
Love Lies Bleeding is completely different from Glass’ indie horror Saint Maud but there’s one thing they have in common – they are both outstanding pieces of work. Saint Maud was in my top ten of the year in 2020 and Love Lives Bleeding is currently no #1 for this year.
In cinemas from Friday 3rd May