“A gritty, stylistic thriller reminiscent of Thelma & Louise…”

After the success of Saint Maud in 2019, Rose Glass’s second feature film, lesbian romance Love Lies Bleeding, has been a highly anticipated follow-up. Exploring obsession through the lens of horror is a common thread between these two films; where Saint Maud focused on religious fixation, in Love Lies Bleeding, Glass focuses on deep infatuation for another and the lengths one will go to in the name of love— even if that means breaking a few bones and spilling a little—or a lot—of blood along the way. 

With ’80s Americana as a backdrop, reclusive gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart), falls in love with ambitious female bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O’Brian), who’s headed through a middle-of-nowhere town on her way to Las Vegas in pursuit of her dream to win a national bodybuilding competition. Lou is enamored with Jackie from the moment she sees her lifting weights, and this is solidified after Jackie stands up for her against a couple of male clients who fail to intimidate. After spending a passionate night together, Jackie moves in with Lou. While Lou tries to protect her sister Beth (Jena Malone) from her abusive husband JJ (Dave Franco), Jackie soon finds herself caught in the middle of a very dangerous situation involving Lou’s father (Ed Harris) and their family’s criminal past.

Glass’s ability to tap into the darker side of human nature creates an unsettling experience. But despite its heavier themes, the film can be very funny at times. Finding the humor in places least expected not only rings true to real life, but also heightens the absolute absurdity of the unfolding events. It’s not easy to pull off such a specific tone, requiring a balancing act of many different factors that all have to work together somehow, one of which are the actors chosen for the main protagonists. 

Stewart and O’Brian’s chemistry is electric every time they’re together. From the release of the film’s trailer, it was evident that Lou would be a perfect character for Stewart to sink her teeth into. After witnessing her stellar performance, Stewart has yet again proven herself to be one of the most interesting and versatile actors of this generation. And though O’Brian a relatively new face amongst a lineup of beloved and well-known actors such as Harris, Malone, and Franco, she clearly has no issue holding her own when going toe-to-toe with her respective scene partners. The amount of physical preparation O’Brian had to do off-set is another impressive feat. 

Using bodybuilding as a way to show how far people are willing to push themselves past their limit is compelling as a metaphor, but it also allows for a different perspective, straying from the typical fantasy only seen through the male gaze. This time, the focus is solely on insatiable female desire and pleasure, with close-ups on sweaty, sculpted muscles, making strength one of the main sexual components. 

Along with her co-writer Weronika Tofilska, Glass has created two fascinating and flawed characters.  As a director, Glass has clearly cultivated a space that allows for the kind of sparring matches necessary between these actors in order to reach a place that brings their performances to another level, breathing a new life into the words on the page. An unabashed display of queer love, Love Lies Bleeding is a gritty, stylistic thriller reminiscent of Thelma & Louise and filled to the brim with deliciously gory visuals and sounds that will cause a visceral reaction from audiences.

Dir: Rose Glass
Prod: A24, Lobo Films, Film4 Productions, Escape Plan Productions
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian, Anna Baryshnikov, Ed Harris, Jena Malone, Dave Franco
Release Date: 3 May 2024 (UK)
Available on: various streaming services (Apple TV, Google Play, etc.)
Trailer:

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