Love Lies Bleeding

The acting is really good. The chemistry between Kristen and Katy (beefy chick) felt very natural. Say what you will about Kristen in the Twilight movies, but she's got some serious acting chops. She did a banger job in this movie. Ed Harris's hair is crazy evil and his performance is up there with Kristen's. Dave Franco was funny, but I also hated his character. The movie has some unexpected dark humor at times, which was surprising given its dark and gritty look. There's some good use of sound design, there's a lot of squishy noises throughout the movie. The soundtrack is solid as well. The movie's got its own distinct style. Cinematography was pretty impressive. They made some really nice creative decisions with certain shots and the way they filmed certain scenes.

This movie is equal parts intense, violent, unsettling and funny at times. I don't know what it is about A24 but they always seem to do weird things in the movies they release. Overall, the movie was fine with the exception of two moments where it turned really weird and of course both of those moments could be seen as metaphorical. This movie takes a downward spiral where things get pretty dark and out of control. In essence, this movie is about love, obsession, addiction, past trauma, toxic relationships and extremely flawed characters. Unfortunately there's not a single character with a redeeming quality by the end of the movie that you can cheer for or relate to, and this makes it hard to truly get invested in. The beginning part of the movie was the best. But once things start to spiral out of control, it becomes unsettling, intense and not the most pleasant of rides. Although I was glued to the screen while watching and it was entertaining, I don't think I'd watch this one again. I can recommend it though.

Let me preface this review that I liked both characters, loved the gritty atmosphere and the outstanding cinematography and production design. Unfortunately the great direction can not substitute an unfocused script. The heavy-handed metaphors are superfluous and it reminded me of another A24 gamble that missed it's mark called Lamb (2021). It never really knows what it really wants to be: gritty crime thriller or drama ,it falls short in both genres. And depending on your suspension of disbelief the ending will be hit or miss. The movie does something towards the end, which will split the audience. Some people will love it, others wil be confused. I found it to be a creative cop-out. It is unnecessarily pretentious, because up to this point the movie was doing fine: a bit illogical, but a good ending would have still managed catch the curve. There's also a problem with the character of Jackie being quite underdeveloped. It's not the actresses' fault, both actresses deliver damn good performances, especially with the pastiche dialogues. It's just sems like you have seen it all before, but better. Especially the presence of Ed Harris invoked memories of Cronenberg's History of Violence, but whereas Cronenberg manages to ride the fine line between comical/surreal exagerration and authentic drama. Love Lies Bleeding tries to do go all in on caricature and loses it's gamble. It's a shame because I liked the epilogue, even the end credits are charming. But it's that crucial piece near the end, that never provided that heartfelt catharsis or an inventive solution. It's still an entertaining movie overall , it's best though to lower expectations towards the end.

Kristen Stewart is a talented performer known for making both good and dreary movies better. Her restlessness and unquiet presence draw audiences in, making her a captivating character. In her latest film, "Love Lies Bleeding," Stewart plays Lou, a small-town loner in New Mexico, who yearns to escape a classic dead end. In the '80s, Lou works in a gym, where she spends her time fixing jalopies and slipping steroids. A beautiful stranger named Jackie (played by Katy O'Brian) catches Lou's eye, setting the movie on an incendiary path. The movie features violence, guns, spooky flashbacks, and a classic villain played by Ed Harris. The film is filled with extravagantly bad hair, rotten teeth, and souls, making it an exciting and captivating experience for viewers. The film also features a classic villain, played by Ed Harris, who delivers a sneer and an epically terrible wig. Overall, "Love Lies Bleeding" is a thrilling and captivating film that showcases Stewart's talent in making movies better and more enjoyable. "Love Lies Bleeding" is a thriller directed by Rose Glass, who has a background in James M. Cain and Jim Thompson novels. The film follows Jackie, a bodybuilder, and Lou, a drifter who meets his kismet at the gym. They connect after the gym closes, and their relationship is marked by a violent confrontation between Jackie and a gym rat. The story quickly heats up as Jackie drifts into town, landing a job to earn money. She crashes with Lou, who is eager for Jackie to stay. Lou remains super-jumpy and wary, and Stewart gives her character a tremulous energy that vibrates in her every look, gesture, and head bob. Glass borrows liberally but not mindlessly, taking familiar themes and clichés like romantic doom and family trauma and playfully bending them to her purposes. She upends the heterosexual coupling that powers many movies, including gun-crazed noirs where violence is sex (and vice versa). Glass deploys her allusions and, with her two beautifully synchronized leads, distills what's pleasurable from them while leaving behind old ugly ideas about women. The film is enjoyable because it uses dark and oh-so-sweet elements, with the greatest danger and thrill being finally love. Glass looks back and she looks forward, going dark and oh-so-sweet in a thriller where the greatest danger and thrill is finally love.

'Love Lies Bleeding (2024)' is a sweaty, grimy, bloody romantic crime thriller about a disillusioned woman who falls in love with a bodybuilding hitchhiker whose steroid-infused rage soon lands both of them in big trouble. It unashamedly - proudly, even - takes the often explicitly cishet, masculine revenge/crime-gone-wrong genre and tells it from a distinctly LGBT+, feminine angle that doesn't feel exploitative despite its graphic nature. It also doesn't box itself in with that 'feminine' label, allowing its female characters to exist with all the complexities and imperfections usually afforded to their male counterparts. It's refreshing to see a story like this be told from a creative team of primarily women, and director Rose Glass continues to impress with her sophomore feature. Filled with palpable texture and peppered with moments of stark surrealism, the feature typically avoids convention despite telling a fairly conventional tale. It's the kind of film you can almost smell, a dirty and down-to-earth representation of small-town America that's the opposite of 'Hollywood' (whatever that term is typically associated with). Its moments of shocking violence punctuate the interpersonal drama at its core and inherently raise its stakes. Kristen Stewart is really good a Lou, with a non-showy performance that feels tactile and real. She's able to hide a real darkness just beneath her shy yet brash exterior, and her initially meek interactions with Katy O'Brian believably bubble into the full-blown immersion associated with head-over-heels love. O'Brian turns in similarly impressive work, portraying a dangerous but vulnerable person whose inner life is layered and messy and likely not all that much more stable prior to her experiments with steroids. She's so ripped she could easily play She-Hulk without the aid of CGI (which, incidentally, I'd love to see), but it isn't her stunning physique that leaves the strongest impression and that's no easy feat. The supporting cast do a good job at making the world feel palpable, with Ed Harris' hair extensions always threatening to outact everyone they share a frame with (Harris himself is good too, of course) and Dave Franco channeling his brother to convincingly play a real creep (and somehow garner a hint of sympathy with a single word in his most memorable scene). Although it's not always as exciting or intense as I'd like, the piece has a strong atmosphere throughout and its world really does feel tangible. Its complex characters constantly reveal darker and darker aspects of themselves, all while its heroes fall deeper and deeper into an all consuming romance that might just doom them both. Its infrequent violence is as shocking as it is affecting, and its confident surrealism gives it a slightly ambiguous air that adds to its overall effect. It's a strong example of female and LGBT+ representation, too. It's not as good as Glass' previous picture, 'Saint Maude (2019)', but it's a really solid follow-up that's effective pretty much across the board.

So, we all decided to check out Love Lies Bleeding after it popped up on a list of recommendations-saw the A24 logo, and honestly, how could we not? They've been killing it lately with fresh, original films. The promise of a crime thriller had us intrigued, especially since we went in blind, only knowing the basics-A24, gritty, crime-thriller. What could go wrong?

Atmosphere & Direction Winny was all in for the atmosphere, and we could see why. The movie is absolutely beautifully bleak in a way that sticks with you. There's this harsh, gritty vibe to the whole thing, and it pulls you into this world where love, obsession, and addiction are at the core of everything. It's stylish in a way that doesn't feel like it's trying too hard, but you can tell Rose Glass knows exactly what she's doing behind the lens. Winny was literally soaking it all in, calling it "cinematic art" and couldn't stop appreciating how everything felt so meticulously crafted.

Action, Crime, and the Thrills Willow's always about those intense crime scenes, and Love Lies Bleeding definitely delivers there. The action is brutal and to the point. There's a lot of tension in those moments-especially when the crime stuff ramps up. That said, Willow also found some of the violence a bit much at times. It wasn't so much the brutality that got him, but the fact that the movie kept leaning into that edge, making it feel like every single plot point had to come with a little too much blood and bad guys being way over the top (looking at you, Dad-Ed Harris, but also why, right?).

Speaking of bad guys, Sweet was rooting for the love between Lou and Jackie, but also kind of hoping they'd get a happy ending. He said, "Maybe the movie didn't need to end on such a dark note, man." We feel you, Sweet. The movie spends so much time with violence and drama, it leaves little room for anything remotely positive, and while that's part of its gritty appeal, it's hard not to wish for a glimmer of hope.

Kristen Stewart & Ed Harris: A Tangled Web Amy, of course, couldn't get enough of Kristen Stewart's performance. It's raw, intense, and you can't deny that Kristen really brought her A-game here-her portrayal of Lou was wildly compelling. She has this dark energy that makes you feel for her character, even when she's making questionable choices. But Ed Harris? He's just an absolute monster in this one. His role as the over-the-top bad guy with that wig-hilarious yet terrifying at the same time. He really owns the screen and gives the movie that extra edge.

Mimikyu just vibed with the group throughout the whole movie. She was just glad we all had such a strong reaction, even though the movie is pretty heavy and intense. Sometimes it's just about enjoying a movie with friends, right?

Some Things Don't Quite Work There's no denying this movie has its flaws, though. First off, the pacing was uneven-there were definitely moments where we were all like, "Okay, this is dragging a bit." The first act sets things up really nicely, but the middle section slowed down a bit, and honestly, there were some long stretches where we were kind of zoning out. Sweet thought the drug use in the film was a bit overdone too. It was clearly there to illustrate the characters' toxic cycles, but after a while, it felt unnecessary and almost too disturbing to watch.

Also, the relationship between Lou and Jackie is complex, but it doesn't feel fully developed by the end. It's clear there's an intense chemistry between them, but by the time things start spiraling, we were left with more questions than answers. The ending, in particular, was a bit of a letdown. Some people might think it's bold and thought-provoking, but it felt more like a cop-out to us. It didn't deliver the catharsis we were hoping for after everything that went down.

Final Thoughts Even with those issues, Love Lies Bleeding is still an entertaining watch. It's intense, gritty, and unpredictable, and it definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are some things that could've been tightened up (a little less drug-use excess, a more satisfying ending), but the performances, especially from Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian, really elevate the material. It's got that modern Grindhouse vibe that feels fresh and raw, but it's not for everyone. You need to be prepared for a ride that's as unsettling as it is thrilling.

For all of us, this movie was like an A24 dive into a world of toxic love and obsession, and while some parts didn't fully click for us, it's still worth a shot if you're into darker, edgier thrillers.

Rating: 7/10 Not flawless, but still a ride that leaves you thinking.