Sometimes movies are predictable, and that just makes them boring. Often, when you can see what’s coming in the story, it takes all of the joy out of watching it unfold. But every now and again, a movie comes along that has fairly predictable plot beats and still manages to surprise as it unfolds. That was absolutely the case with Rose Glass’s sophomore film, “Love Lies Bleeding.”
When Jackie (Katy O’Brian) rolls into New Mexico with a toothbrush and dreams of being a bodybuilder, she finds her way to Lou’s (Kristen Stewart) gym and then to Lou’s bed. Lou is primarily concerned with keeping her sister Beth (Jena Malone) safe from her abusive husband JJ (Dave Franco) while also trying to navigate a difficult relationship with her criminal father Lou (Ed Harris). When Jackie and Lou get tangled up in a murder, they must confront their pasts and look to the future together.
This movie is fueled by sex and violence and obsession. If you’ve ever read a seedy paperback that you got cheap at a gas station, this is that experience put to film, which means that it’s an uncomfortable, but awesomely good time.
All of the characters are written as these huge, over-the-top caricatures that you’d see in a pulp paperback, and the cast plays into that beautifully. Harris and Franco both play these incredible villains, and Malone plays the simpering victim to perfection. Anna Baryshnikov, as the spurned lover Daisy, does a stunning job, but the stars are, in fact, the stars of this movie. O’Brian and Stewart are absolutely electric together in this toxic but still somehow romantic relationship. I spent the whole film rooting for them to stay together and begging them to break up.
The sound design in this is spectacular. It’s shot in a way that somehow looks both hyper-realistic and surrealist at the same time. The story is unhinged and surprisingly funny. The characters are well developed, while still having a lot of mystery to them. There were a few times in the third act that I thought the whole movie was going off the rails, but it held on and managed to provide a satisfying, if somewhat bleak, ending. I also appreciated that this movie is set in 1989 and while it certainly gives that vibe, it’s not constantly trying to convince the audience of the period.
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this movie. I didn’t look up any kind of plot synopsis, and the trailer seemed a little bit vague in the way that it presented the story. I knew there was a queer romance, and I knew that it was a revenge story. I also saw that it was well-received at Sundance, but sometimes there’s a sheen on festivals that makes movies seem a little larger than life. But with “Love Lies Bleeding,” that’s true.
ALISE CHAFFINS is a Morgantown writer who loves movies and sharing her opinions. She reviews a movie from a streaming service every Saturday and one newly in theaters every Sunday. Find more at MacGuffin or Meaning on Substack.
