Director: Rose Glass
Writers: Rose Glass and Weronika Tofilska
Stars: Anna Baryshnikov, Kristen Stewart, Dave Franco
Synopsis: A romance fueled by ego, desire and the American Dream.
Rose Glass introduces the principal characters of Love Lies Bleeding to her audience in the most telling way imaginable. When meeting Lou (Kristen Stewart), she is elbow deep into a toilet that’s beyond clogged. Jackie (Katy M. O’Brian) is drowned out by a constant barrage of gunfire as she is brought around the local shooting range. Immediately, she proves her mettle in the sense that she mocks the use of guns, as her preference lies more in the realm of up-close-and-personal. JJ (Dave Franco) is unfathomably repulsive, and would remain as a simply irritating man-child if he wasn’t a serial abuser to his wife, Beth (Jena Malone), who is also Lou’s sister. And finally, we meet Lou Sr. (an unhinged and wild-looking Ed Harris) who is caring for his oversized bug collection. The visual language of Love Lies Bleeding not only looks beautiful, but delivers expressive meaning with each new scene. And if this film is anything, it’s expressive. Every element seems carefully selected and fine tuned to trigger an audience’s emotions in some capacity. Take, for example, the music of the film, which intensely captures the overall vibe of Love Lies Bleeding. Considering how wild the tone of the film shifts between any given moment, it’s even more impressive. But if one were forced to sum up the film in a single word, I believe the best term would be sultry.
Lou and Jackie meet at Crater Gym, where Lou is the manager. Jackie, after hitchhiking across the country, has ended up in New Mexico as she makes her way to Las Vegas for a bodybuilding competition. While it’s immediately clear how driven Jackie is, there’s, at first, a looseness to her character that is not only compelling for the audience, but for Lou as well. As soon as the two meet, it’s clear there are more than just sparks; there are blazing flames. From that initial night, a raging intensity rings out whenever Stewart and O’Brian are sharing the screen. It’s immediately clear that the steamy first night they share with one another is so much more than a fling. One just has to look into Stewart’s eyes briefly to see that, maybe for the first time ever, she feels seen as something more than just another lost soul stuck in a small town. The first half of Love Lies Bleeding builds off of this dynamic between the two women, and it’s absolutely wonderful. And then, the film majorly pivots until everything comes crashing down.
Any undercurrent of romantic intensity transforms into something different. All of a sudden, there’s a sense of complete loss of control. However, there is still purpose and meaning behind the actions, even if they are more than a bit rash. With a shocking turn, Love Lies Bleeding basically becomes a gritty crime thriller. It’s riddled with drugs, guns, excessively frightening violence, and a ton of sweat. We bear witness to these intense bursts of rage that range from satisfying and worrisome to shocking and upsetting. And all this anger stems from a phrase which is often used jokingly, but in the case of this film, takes on a whole new meaning: Doesn’t love just make you do the craziest things?
The lengths we will go to for our significant others can sometimes be massive. We can find ourselves making the most irrational of decisions in the name of passion. It’s in the second half of Love Lies Bleeding that acts of mayhem begin snowballing in the name of love. But it’s also in this second half where Glass’ visuals begin to become more and more disorienting. Littered through the lens of heavy drug usage, viewers will be treated to a variety of body horror, surreal drug-induced nightmare sequences, and so much more. It’s shocking just how far Glass is able to take this film tonally and visually without overtly stepping into ridiculousness. But one gets the sense that this film, which also becomes much funnier the longer it plays out, knows exactly how far it’s able to push the viewer. This becomes a jet black comedy while also focusing on the horror of losing oneself to outside forces. You get the sense that these characters, all at various stages of their life, share a single thing in common: the deep dread of what it means to no longer make your own choices. But no two characters highlight that fear, and eventual acceptance, more than Lou and Jackie.
The final sequence of the film is, admittedly, a massive swing. Glass’ film shifts a handful of times, but perhaps none bigger than the very final one. Yet it captures this endearingly sweet idea that we can both make our own choices in life, and also give into the insanity that is being in love. We will put ourselves through the worst of it to ensure our partner can sleep soundly nearby. Love Lies Bleeding is incredibly poetic in how it slowly captivates the audience with a depiction of steamy love morphing into something darker, before ultimately making it through to the other side. With only her second feature film, Glass proves that she has an innate sense of filmmaking prowess, and isn’t afraid to make the type of film that will alienate many. But for those who are on board, strap in. Love might be crazy, but Love Lies Bleeding takes it to new heights.
Love Lies Bleeding celebrated its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in the Midnights section, and will be released by A24 in March.
