#REVIEW: “LOVE LIES BLEEDING”
Review by Nicholas Porteous for Mr. Will Wong
New Mexico. Lou (Kristen Stewart) keeps a watchful eye on her sister (Jena Malone)’s abusive marriage to JJ (Dave Franco) while their dad–also Lou (Sr.)–(Ed Harris) runs a criminal organization out of the back of his shooting range. They may not know it, but the situation’s a gasoline-drenched car, and Jackie (Katy O’Brian)--a competitive bodybuilder running from a mysterious past–is the molotov cocktail needed to blow the whole thing up.
Love Lies Bleeding is a pulpy, queer Neo-Noir that lives up to its title. The central romance between Lou and Jackie is a pure expression of how far we’re willing to go for that certain someone, and there’s no shortage of blood-soaked coverups along the way. Unfortunately, the characters are only skin-deep. By the time the twisty-turny story shifts into gear, there isn’t a lot to go on beyond looks and vibes, and when the shit really starts to hit the fan, I’m unsure of how to feel–and not necessarily in a fun, morally ambiguous Revenge-Thriller kind of way. The foundation is too weak to support all the heinous action, justify many of the desperate decisions, or give all the twists and turns the emotional thrust they need to resonate the way they could.
This isn’t to say the Director and Cast aren’t putting in their reps. Love Lies Bleeding is gorgeously shot, and well-acted by the whole ensemble. Kristen Stewart‘s endless angst couldn’t be better-suited for Director Rose Glass‘ considerable closeups. Katy O’Brien gets to flex in every conceivable way. Ed Harris is grubby enough to smell, and more threatening than ever. And there has rarely been a better use of Dave Franco. While I found the overall package muddled, I would never call it boring. It’s also worth noting that as far as corpses go, Love Lies features the single greatest dead body I’ve ever seen. You’ll know it when you see it.
Between this and last week’s Drive-Away Dolls, queer Crime Thrillers are putting their stamp on 2024 and it’s a refreshing trend. VVS Films release LOVE LIES BLEEDING March 15, 2024.