This sex-soaked redneck fever dream of a revenge thriller will catch audiences off guard. Love Lies Bleeding marks the audacious return of writer-director Rose Glass with her follow-up to the seminal Saint Maud. Sultry, sordid, and packed to the hilt with down at heel performances from Kristen Stewart (Lou), Katy O’Brian (Jackie), Dave Franco (JJ) and Ed Harris – there is nothing straightforward about this leftfield love story.
From the moment that Lou and Jackie connect there are fireworks. This torrid attraction that drives many of the decisions which follow are deeply destructive. From the relative safety of her muscle palace surrounded by glistening bodies, Lou observes others while they strive for physical perfection. Starved of ambition and ridiculed due to orientation, she looks destined to waste away in this dust bowl town until Jackie rocks up.
Musclebound, brazen and not beyond turning tricks to get a bed for the night there is an unpredictability about her that raises eyebrows. Lou is drawn to Jackie like a moth to a flame and soon these two star-crossed lovers are inseparable. From there Love Lies Bleeding disappears down a rabbit hole of unchecked carnal desire, as these two characters connect on every level possible, while elsewhere domestic abuse courtesy of JJ jump starts a series of events that end in tragedy.
Much has been made of the infamous Rolling Stone cover, where Kristen Stewart immersed herself in the overtly masculine stereotype of a dominant lesbian. Lithe, sensual, and provocative without ever embracing cliche this is an actor who knows her own mind. Skating a line between censorship baiting publicity tactics and LGBQ+ pictorial empowerment, it is a nice to say that Love Lies Bleeding also works beyond any hype that might surround it.
Stripped of all the extraneous sexual tension and graphic depictions of sensual pleasure, this film fundamentally works as a revenge thriller. Ed Harris effortlessly retains his legendary status as Lou Sr, a gun range owning Southern shitkicker with criminal intent and no compunction about disposing of bodies. Dave Franco is equally unpleasant as the wife beating philanderer, who comes unstuck when he beats his partner Beth (Jena Malone) once too often. However, the powder keg presence that powers through this film is Katy O’Brian.
An unknown quantity and yet capable of holding the screen like a seasoned veteran, Jackie is one pure force of nature. Whether pumping iron or applying the same approach to Lou in the bedroom, this is a dominant woman looking to unleash. Similar in some respects to Magazine Dreams, the Jonathan Majors film that got shelved for obvious reasons, Love Lies Bleeding embraces the world of bodybuilding from a female perspective.
Over the course of this sophomore effort Rose Glass displays a versatility and self-assurance that gives this film a genuine edge. It is true that Love Lies Bleeding pulls no punches on any level when it comes exploring the central relationship or the violent course of events which cause it to implode. However, after the sensationalism of those graphic sex scenes and that Rolling Stone cover, this film works on its own merits and represents a solid second entry in the cannon of this writer-director. One that comes with a new level of maturity and singular voice to match.
Love Lies Bleeding is on general release from 3 May.
