Love an ‘80s themed movie? Or a dark, hot thriller? This movie is for you
Photo via vanityfair.com.
Sex, drugs, muscles, and murder is what to expect with the new lesbian thriller Love Lies Bleeding. Directed and co-written by Rose Glass and the latest A24 production, this ‘80s neo-noir thriller is set in small town New Mexico and follows Lou (played by Twilight alum Kristen Stewart) who works at a small gym where she meets Jackie (Katy O’Brian), a body-builder wannabe. Soon they start a roid-rage love affair, but things quickly turn after Lou’s sister Beth (played by Jena Malone) is hospitalized by her husband JJ (Dave Franco).
The first half of this movie focuses on Lou and Jackie slowly falling in love as Jackie trains for a body-building competition in Las Vegas, while also showing the abuse Beth faces at the hands of her husband. This half also introduces Lou’s weird father, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), who is being investigated by the FBI.
As the movie progresses, things start to unravel and Jackie slowly succumbs to her steroid addiction. The end the movie changes from a realistic neo-noir into a magical realism film that requires you to suspend your disbelief.
The success of Love Lies Bleeding has proven once again that Stewart is an actor who needs to be recognized for her talents outside of her Twilight past. She stole the attention on screen and her chemistry with O’Brian was intoxicating. While their on-screen relationship was toxic and unhealthy, I was still left wanting them to be together. O’Brian’s character’s descent into madness was well portrayed and happened gradually, so it felt more realistic when she fully succumbed to her drug addiction alter ego.
Along with his costars, Harris portrayed Lou’s crazy father as a creepy yet down to earth villain. His character was complex, and I questioned if he was the bad guy he was made out to be. Overall, each one of the actors pulled their weight, portraying complex, likeable characters despite their intense flaws. I was even left wondering if the abusive husband JJ was as bad as he was portrayed.
Another aspect that this movie succeeded in was the cinematography. The dark neo-noir lighting was powerful at conveying an uneasy feeling throughout. As the movie moved into magical realism, the lighting slowly started to get brighter and more unrealistic, just like the story and the characters. The use of purple and blue neon lighting of the gym also played into the overall ‘80s vibe of the film.
I went into this movie blind, having only seen a few TikToks about it, so to say that I was confused the whole time is an understatement. While I did enjoy the performances and the way the plot kept me on the edge of my seat, I left the theatre extremely confused.
The switch to magical realism came too quickly in my opinion, and I did not see the ending coming. When it was over, I really questioned who I should root for, if anyone. It felt like one of those movies I would only fully understand during a second watch by overanalyzing every scene and piece of dialogue.
In the end, after I suspended my disbelief and accepted Lou and Jackie as unreliable narrators, I did overall like the film. It was a steamy lesbian murder movie, and it wasn’t like anything I had watched before. Stewart once again reminded me that she’s an actor that deserves to be respected, and the movie kept me guessing what was going to happen next.
I don’t think this film is for everyone, but if you’re a fan of thriller movies, love an ‘80s period piece, or love a classic A24 production, I think this movie is for you.
