Love Lies Bleeding

My first thought was it feels like the gym was depicted in the way someone who doesn't go to the gym imagines the gym is like. Like they watched Pumping Iron instead of visiting the nearest gym. It's like if Pumping Iron was a raunchy, lesbian, blood-soaked psychedelic experience. With a dash of crime family drama.

I found the cinematography of the movies to be quite impressive; it had a captivating aesthetic. Although it's not on an epic scale and mostly unfolds in remote settings, it's mesmerizingly filmed with themes of sex and violence. The characters are pretty good, so were the actors playing them. Kristen Stewart was Kristen Stewart, I think you already know what to expect when you see her in a movie, and I think she was pretty good. It took me a while to realize I recognized Katy O'Brian from The Mandalorian. I loved that she was homeless but still working out; if she can get swole living under a bridge, what's your excuse? Lol.

Theres a huge emphasis on smoking and drugs, it's a pretty big theme and mostly referenced on the radio. The story is alright, there's a love, crime and family drama.

It's quite raunchy. I wasn't expecting that, but I suppose the movie did give off those vibes. I just didn't watch any trailers or anything and went in blind. It also included some other adult/mature content like domestic violence. It's quite gory as well. Initially, it felt like it was penned by a man; I was surprised to learn it was written/directed by a woman afterward. I recall thinking that there will probably be a lot of people commenting on this, expressing their displeasure with how women are portrayed in movies written by men.

The movie had several moments where I thought to myself, well that's taken a weird turn. It gets more weird and weirder the longer in goes. It's really weird that it was common/normal back then to just hit your wife. It was jarring to watch. Franco's character is probably the worst one.

It's also one of those movies where none of the characters are good people, it's just bad people making bad decisions, in the name of love. I didn't really find myself rooting for anyone and l didn't feel particularly attached to the movie as a whole. I feel like it could've been better, and by better I mean more psychedelic, more violent, maybe even disturbing. It's not a movie for everyone, but it's pretty interesting and I enjoyed it. I like it but I don't know if it'll still be on my mind a month from now.

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.

Sadly the film isn't as amazing as I hoped it would be.

The two main characters have great chemistry and the style of the movie is pretty cool but the script is kinda lame. I don't mind a simple story but in this case it felt like there was missed potential somehow. I really expected to love this movie but even though it had some very nice moments and the direction was superb, it was a bit of a letdown.

I feel like there was nothing I could take away from the story - nothing I learned...

And at the same time, even though the style is cool, this type of look and music for a film of this genre is pretty standard these days when it comes to independent films. It's the old "Drive" Nicolas Winding Refn thing from the perspective of a female director. I feel like this type of movie is starting to get a bit old maybe.

This is definitely not a must-see, but you will probably have a good time in the cinema if you are into the trailer.

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.