Under the lens takes a deep look at films by focusing in on one or two particular areas of the picture that helped to define it for better or for worse.
Love Lies Bleeding is a 2024 neo-noir romance thriller, directed by Rose Glass and starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian, Ed Harris, and Jena Malone. Set in 1989 New Mexico, it follows Lou, a gym manager who falls for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder. Their intense romance spirals into violence and crime as they confront Lou’s criminal family.
UNDER THE LENS: VISUAL STYLE AND PERFORMANCES
Visual Style: Rose Glass crafts a neon-drenched, hallucinatory vision of 1980s New Mexico. The film’s visual language shifts between gritty realism and surreal interludes, particularly during Jackie’s steroid-induced episodes. Cinematographer Ben Fordesman creates striking compositions that emphasize both the characters’ physicality and their psychological states. The gym sequences are bathed in harsh fluorescent light, while intimate moments glow with saturated colors that hint at the story’s violent undercurrents.
Performances: Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian create electric chemistry as Lou and Jackie. Stewart brings a contained intensity to Lou, her restrained exterior masking deep wells of violence. O’Brian’s Jackie is a revelation, embodying both physical power and vulnerable ambition. Their relationship feels dangerous and inevitable, each scene between them charged with both tenderness and potential violence. Ed Harris delivers a menacing turn as Lou’s father, his presence casting a shadow over every scene he inhabits.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The blend of body horror and romance creates a unique genre hybrid
- The period-accurate soundtrack enhances the film’s neo-noir atmosphere
- The practical effects and makeup work in the violence sequences are visceral and impactful
QUOTABLE QUOTE
Lou: “Some things, once you start them, you can’t stop.”
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
How does physical transformation reflect emotional and psychological change? At what point does passion become obsession?
CONCLUSION
Love Lies Bleeding is an audacious genre mashup that defies easy categorization. Glass crafts a visceral experience that combines romance, thriller elements, and body horror into something uniquely compelling. While some viewers might find the surreal elements jarring and the violence excessive, they serve the story’s themes of transformation and obsession. The third act takes some wild swings that may divide audiences, but the film’s commitment to its vision is admirable. Stewart and O’Brian’s performances ground even the most extreme moments in emotional truth. Despite its occasional excesses, Love Lies Bleeding stands as a bold, original vision that pushes boundaries in both content and form.
