Time: 104 Minutes
Age Rating: R16 – Brutal violence, domestic abuse, sex scenes, drug use & offensive language
Cast:
Kristen Stewart as Lou
Katy O’Brian as Jackie
Ed Harris as Lou Sr.
Jena Malone as Beth
Anna Baryshnikov as Daisy
Dave Franco as J.J.
Director: Rose Glass
I have been interested in Love Lies Bleeding ever since I learned that it was directed by Rose Glass, who previously made the great horror movie Saint Maud. I loved the look of it from the trailers, and I’m glad to say that it definitely delivered.
This story of love and revenge was a throwback to exploitation films and queer neo-noir erotic thrillers of the 90s (like Bound), but is still very unique in its own right, and I was invested to see where it would go. It is effectively suspenseful and has a greatly effective feeling of menace throughout. Despite the darkness that it goes to, it has something of a heart to it, mainly with its central romance. There’s also some moments of black comedy to offset some of the darker moments. Towards the end, Love Lies Bleeding takes some big swings which really paid off, and I liked that it (and the movie as a whole) embraced the ridiculousness of it all.
There’s an amazing cast who deliver some stellar work here. Kristen Stewart gives one of her best performances, and Katy O’ Brian is equally impressive. The two have such great chemistry and it’s compelling watching the two of them interact. Ed Harris, Jena Malone, Dave Franco, and Anna Baryshnikov are also great, especially Harris in a slimy villainous role.
Rose Glass’s direction is fantastic, giving the movie a really bombastic style. The cinematography and camerawork are amazing, very grimy yet colourful. There’s plenty of memorable and striking images, it even gets surreal at points. A pleasantly surprising element was the little bits of horror that Glass inserted into the movie, reminding us that she’s very much the director of Saint Maud. The moments of gore and violence are truly gnarly, and there’s even some body horror; especially when it comes to the effects of steroid use, conveyed by the excellent makeup effects and the amazing sound design. It also just has a great vibe and alluring atmosphere, helped by the synth score from Clint Mansell and the sharp editing.
Love Lies Bleeding is a pulpy, stylish and gnarly crime thriller, excellently directed and has great performances, especially from Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian. Definitely among my favourite movies of the year so far.
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