Muscles, guns, sex, steroids, crime… and perhaps most importantly, the drug that is love.
Love Lies Bleeding is a wild, proudly pulpy ride that throbs with energy and puts an original spin on somewhat familiar crime story elements.
As it can be when two people on different paths collide and fall in love, Love Lies Bleeding smashes together the stories of two characters – each of whom could have had their own film.
Strong performances from both Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian, showcasing strong chemistry and completely at ease with material that gets increasingly out there. The most important aspect of this story is that it is a love story, even if it is a very twisted one, and these two stars ensure the passion and the increasingly questionable choices are believable in the film.
It’s another strong calling card from filmmaker Rose Glass, making her second feature here following 2019 psychological horror film, Saint Maud.
It’s not quite perfect, the level of substance is far outweighed by the style, but I had a good time here. Love Lies Bleeding is an entertaining, enjoyably over-the-top, fever dream of a dark love story.
