January is always an exciting time for film. Not only is the award season upon us, both also the Sundance Film Festival. Every year I do a deep dive on the program they unveil, as it has been the home for so many of my favourite films. I like to get a glimpse on what to seek out throughout the year, either through VOD or if I’m lucky, in the cinemas. Among the films I had on my radar was of course the buzzy sophomore film Love Lies Bleeding by British filmmaker Rose Glass.
It's hard not to be excited for the film with the talent behind and in front of the camera, but what really put me on board was actually something that went against my film-going code; watching a trailer to a film I’m already sold on. Don’t get me wrong, I watch trailers and I love them, but I tend to watch them after seeing the film, since I find they reveal too much these days. With Love Lies Bleeding, curiosity (and the “Smalltown Boy” needle drop) got the best of me. The eerie atmosphere and the pulsating pace of the trailer just hooked me to the screen and I am very happy to report that the film is no different.
The film is set in the late 80’s and follows Lou (Kristen Stewart), the manager of a dingy gym in a nowhere town, whose world turns upside down after falling for a bodybuilder named Jackie (Katy O’Brian) passing through town. I am keeping the description of the plot brief, as I don’t want to take any fun away from the twists and turns, which there is plenty of.
Love Lies Bleeding absolutely rips. It’s the type of film Sundance has been priding itself with over the years. It’s a fresh take on an established genre, confident with its vision and stylistic choices while also being an absolute crowd-pleaser, which I need to emphasize. From gasps to laughs, cheers to claps (a very impressive applause broke out during the film’s final act to which I had to join as well), Rose Glass has crafted a riot that only gets more and more tense from the moment the first body hits the floor. The film also turns out to be way funnier than I thought, however the humour is not only dark, but pitch black, leaving you covering your mouth while laughing. In a time where watching films is becoming less and less of a communal experience, due to audiences waiting for films to hit streaming rather than seeing them in cinemas, the experience of seeing Love Lies Bleeding with a packed audience should be able to persuade anyone who’s doubtful about the moviegoing experience. I am aware I might have been lucky with the interactive crowd I saw the film with, but through a quick scroll on Letterboxd, I have seen this experience echoed.
The film’s biggest muscle has to be the two leading stars. The chemistry between Stewart and O’Brian is electric and with everything else the film throws at you it's easy to take for granted, but without their romance and their powerful dynamic the film just wouldn’t work. Calling Katy O’Brian a newcomer wouldn’t be entirely correct, as she’s had a role in major franchises like Star Wars and the MCU, but from what I can tell she hasn’t a had a star-making role like this. It’s a captivating physical performance and the contrast between Jackie’s sweet and scary sides feel effortless. It’s always great seeing Ed Harris and here he stars as Lou Sr., the films “antagonist”, clearly having fun with the role. I’ve found his strong presence reminiscent of a character out of a David Lynch film, à la Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet.
Blood, sweat and even more importantly, tears, Love Lies Bleeding is ultimately about love - the lengths we go for it and its destroying nature. Love that is not just limited to romance, like Lou’s protectiveness over her sister Beth (Jena Malone) or Jackie’s passion for bodybuilding. We watch characters push themselves and make heavy choices, posing the age-old question of, “What would you do for love?”. In retrospect we see that love is the motivator behind most major action in the film, except for maybe those of Lou Sr. In contrast to the rest of the characters, it’s implied that the antagonist views love more as a weakness and would rather kill his love, than kill for it.
Love Lies Bleeding is a thrill ride that will have your heart racing whilst watching and pounding gently afterwards. It is not only worth watching, but worth experiencing with a crowd.
