A queer erotic thriller set in late 1980s New Mexico; Love Lies Bleeding gives you exactly what you pay for. Lou, played by Kristen Stewart, is a gym manager who falls for bodybuilder Jackie, played by Katy O’Brian. The authenticity of their relationship is tested when they both become complicit in a murder. Directed by Rose Glass with the help of A24, the film continues the studio’s tradition of pushing the boundaries of mainstream cinema in an age that feels saturated with once-visionary filmmakers trying their hand at the next greatest Marvel epic.
The audience is immediately presented with shots sinking into a blood-red desert ravine accompanied by nothing other than a steady drumbeat. Glass makes sure the audience is keenly aware of the kind of film they’re about to watch, and this tone is mirrored through pulsating workout montages to 80s new wave synth pop tracks. The same music is played during the intense sex scenes between Lou and Jackie, and this passion is echoed as their relationship becomes threatened by Lou’s father, played tremendously by the great Ed Harris.
As the film progresses, a darker mood is set as we find out there is a more serious matter at play. All the while, as tensions and stakes rise, a slight horror quality is slowly introduced that has you questioning where the plot is going at every turn. Just as characters push their bodies to their physical limits, their mental fortitude is simultaneously stretched.
Love Lies Bleeding is a tremendous example of a film that matches its visual tone to its central theme: how far a person is willing to go to achieve perfection. Katy O’Brian, in her breakout role, is a strong on-screen presence, but it’s how believable her character’s relationship is with Kristen Stewart’s Lou that allows the film to flow seamlessly, keeping the audience engrossed. This, backed with a fantastic supporting cast including an almost unrecognisable Dave Franco, provides a bold yet entertaining 100 minutes and the perfect opening film for the 2024 Glasgow Film Festival.
Ciaran Hogg [he/him]
[Instagram @ciaranhogg_ ]
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