Luke Geier Reporter
Love Lies Bleeding is the newest film from English filmmaker and screenwriter Rose Glass. Glass’s first film, Saint Maud, was an extremely exciting debut that made waves within the indie horror genre. While the film was extremely well-received and sprouted a dedicated fanbase for the young filmmaker, it was not recently that Glass received mass media praise for her filmmaking.
Love Lies Bleeding is somewhat of a departure from her first film, highlighting several elements such as mystery, action, and romance. This is not to say that horror elements don’t exist though, and Glass makes sure to make the audience squirm and clench their teeth in several moments throughout the film’s hour and forty-four-minute runtime.
The film follows the character of Lou as she meets a love interest named Jackie. While Jackie is less concerned with sticking around than she had initially planned because of a body-building competition she plans to compete in Las Vegas, she falls head over heels for Lou and their relationship quickly blossoms into something much more than a one-night stand. While the two share a moment of interrupted happiness together, it is not long until a web of lies and violence unfolds, risking not only the future of the relationship but also their lives as they know it.
One of the impressive things about Love Lies Bleeding besides the genre-defying nature that it has, is how Glass can implement so many plot points throughout, while seamlessly blending them together in the end and creating a satisfying conclusion. With a film this dense in its plot, it could be easy for the focus to be more concerned about certain areas than others, but that never happens here. Not a single plot point feels out of place when getting introduced. This meticulous care without a doubt speaks to Glass’s talent as a writer in addition to her filmmaking.
Love Lies Bleeding also makes no qualms about taking risks. In a similar fashion to Saint Maud, there is no holding back with the film’s explicit themes. Sex, drugs, and violence are not something that is merely implied in the film but are instead pushed to the limit on screen. While the film’s polarizing subject matter could be too much for the average movie-goer, Glass wanted the audience to react, and the results leave you on the edge of your seat.
Kirsten Stewart does an excellent job in the key role of Lou. Whether it is dramatic moments or comedic relief, Stewart embodies not only the character but in many ways the film, acting as an anchor for the entire movie, bringing just what it needs to the table at the perfect moments. This should be no surprise either, as Stewart continues to elevate with each role she takes. Stewart’s counterpart, Katy M. O’Brian, who plays the role of Jackie, steals the show on several occasions as well as the bodybuilding love interest.
While Love Lies Bleeding may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it is not necessarily supposed to be, and Rose Glass’s unapologetic approach is exactly what makes the film so special. Overall, I rate this movie a 4/5.