Love Lies Bleeding

This atmospheric and stylised thriller seems torn between being a straight-up drama and a surreal black comedy, and never quite totally satisfies as either.  But the standout performances from Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian, and writer-director Rose Glass’ unique style, make this definitely worth your time.

Premise:  Unhappy and reclusive gym owner Lou (Kristen Stewart) falls for bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O’Brian), who’s passing through Lou’s New Mexico town in 1989 on her way to a competition in Las Vegas.  But the shadows of Lou’s estranged criminal father (Ed Harris), and her sister’s abusive husband (Dave Franco), loom over Lou’s small-town existence.

Review:

I could see Love Lies Bleeding being a bit of a ‘Marmite’ film, because there are moments in the second half which definitely stray into magical realism territory, which is quite a departure from the more grounded thriller tone of the first half.  Some audience members may find the tonal shifts too jarring, while others may appreciate what is a very fresh approach to the genre.

Personally, I fall somewhere between the two camps.  I don’t dislike the second half so much that it ruined my enjoyment of the film, but I did feel that the film may have been a more satisfying viewing experience if it had picked one tone and stuck with it.  I really enjoyed the first half of the film, which felt a little like a classic Coen Brothers crime thriller with its heightened characters and evocative isolated setting, and I didn’t have a problem when some more surreal elements began to be introduced (largely because they can initially be explained as drug-induced hallucinations).  But by the end, there are fantastical elements that I have to admit did take me out of the film, even if they worked on a metaphorical level.

“…Kristen Stewart has arguably never been better…”

Tonal shifts aside, the performances in Love Lies Bleeding are universally great.  Kristen Stewart has arguably never been better, bringing a depth of sadness and longing to Lou that masks her steely determination, while Katy O'Brian delivers what is sure to be a breakout performance after a series of impressive supporting roles, including in films like Twisters and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.  You could argue that Ed Harris can portray understated menace in his sleep, but that doesn’t make his performance any less creepy or sinister, while Jena Malone and Dave Franco are also both great (and entirely believable) as Lou’s sister and her abusive husband.

Writer/director Rose Glass, fresh from the critical success of Saint Maud, brings her unique vision to Love Lies Bleeding, and so it feels unfair to criticise the film for clearly being what she wanted it to be (even if I may have personally preferred something with a less ambiguous tone).  If you take creative risks you won’t please everyone, but for all my quibbles with Love Lies Bleeding, I’m glad that it represents Rose Glass’ vision, rather than being a cookie-cutter addition to the genre.

“…when it’s firing on all cylinders, it’s great…”

Overall, this is the kind of film that I’m very glad to have seen once, even if it’s not one that I’m likely to revisit often.  When it’s firing on all cylinders, it’s great, and the moments of black humour (especially the final shot of the film) are delightful.