Release date: March 8, 2024 (USA)

Director: Rose Glass

Distributed by: A24

Love Lies Bleeding, directed by Rose Glass, is an intense movie that makes your stomach churn with desire and disgust. The film takes place in a small American town in the 1980s. It follows the story of Lou, a gym manager played by Kristen Stewart, who falls in love with a female bodybuilder, Jackie, played by Katy O. Brian. Their love for each other soon turns deadly because of Lou's crime-loving family.

Even though the plot was a bit too fast-paced for my liking, the story was original and intriguing. I’ve never seen a lesbian bodybuilder movie before, so I went into this not expecting much. I left, however, with a lot of thoughts circulating in my head. The movie shocked me with its abundance of R-rated scenes and gore. Although, in my opinion, there was too much sexual activity that didn’t benefit the plot, the lesbian representation was still refreshing to see.

It was enjoyable seeing Kristen Stewart in a role that explored her sexuality. Her style was androgynous, and I’m glad that she’s finding herself. “We’re Entering a Joyful New Era of Lesbian Fashion” by the New York Times does a fantastic job of explaining her newfound style. This movie showed how versatile Stewart can be. She is excellent at expressing emotions with her eyes. Speaking of actresses, this was my first time seeing Katy O. Brian in a role. She was fantastic, even though her acting choices were a bit questionable at times. I wish that we saw more emotions from her when she went to Las Vegas for her body-building contest.

Speaking of the contest, the editing in that scene was great. I experienced the same level of euphoria as she did, fueled by the adrenaline. This scene also pays homage to Black Swan by showing Jackie's seemingly unhealthy addiction to steroids (prompted by Lou introducing her to them). The editor sure knew how to keep an audience captivated. Furthermore, the soundtrack was excellent. They used eerie songs to make the audience's skin crawl.

This movie was purely original, and I had never seen anything like it before. The cast did a fantastic job, and Dave Franco gave a jaw-dropping (wink-wink) performance. I'd like to see something along these lines again.

I do have one main critique, though. The ending could’ve been better. It felt a little rushed, and honestly, seeing Katy O. Brian turn into a giant was a bit too surreal for me. If that hadn't happened, the movie would have greatly benefited. I would’ve liked to see Brain beat up some more people instead of turning into a steroid giant. Also, were there too many mullets? Yeah, kinda—but it takes place in the 80s, so I’ll let it slide.