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The 2024 erotic thriller Love Lies Bleeding<\/strong><\/em> can best be described as a brilliant lesbian noir themed romp. Literally showing us a New Mexico underbelly that is practically heaving with lust, love, and disturbed dreams.<\/p>\n Rose Glass<\/a> directs and co-writes this odd and quirky dip into an off kilter romance amidst the evil lurking in the film. Glass, who rocked the world with the horror film Saint Maud<\/em><\/strong>, shares the writing credit with Weronika Tofilska<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lou spends her days running a small gym in a small New Mexico town. She meets Jackie, a muscle builder headed to Las Vegas to compete. The tumbleweed existence of Jackie and the semi reclusive Lou fall in love.<\/p>\n Lou starts coming out of her shell only to learn that love; true love, is not easy. It can be downright murder. <\/p>\n Kristen Stewart<\/a> is Lou.<\/p>\n Anna Baryshnikov<\/a> is Daisy.<\/p>\n Dave Franco<\/a> is JJ.<\/p>\n Katy O\u2019Brian<\/a> is Jackie.<\/p>\n Jena Malone<\/a> is Beth.<\/p>\n Ed Harris<\/a> is Lou Sr.<\/p>\n Orion Carrington<\/a> is O\u2019Riley.<\/p>\n The citizens of this New Mexico town are a little, \u201coff in left field.\u201d Although this is not unusual in a desert<\/a> setting. A lot of recent noir films, meaning the last 20 years or so, have a cast of characters that can best be described as surreal.<\/p>\n Lou Sr is the local \u201ckingpin\u201d who relies on violence and murder to control his little kingdom. His daughter Lou runs a gym and is antisocial when she is not trying to half-heartedly quit smoking. JJ, apart from having sex with anyone with a pulse, beats his wife Beth. <\/p>\n Beth is Lou\u2019s sister, a woman who seems content to be JJ\u2019s punching bag. Daisy is a spacey and hygienically challenged woman who has a thing for Lou. <\/p>\n Into this interesting mix of folks, enters Jackie. A weightlifting body sculptor who meets Lou at the gym.<\/p>\n Everything is off kilter here. Lou Sr, besides being the local \u201cbig boss\u201d owns the local gun range and collects insects. He hires Jackie after JJ introduces and recommends her. Jackie now has a link to Lou Lou before she even meets her.<\/p>\n The courtship of Lou and Jackie is a little slow and a little strange. Opposites do attract, apparently. Jackie is all about being physically fit. She is strong and perfectly formed. Lou is not athletic at all. She is, however, attracted to all that \u201canimal\u201d fitness. <\/p>\n Sex appears to be the main motivator, but looks can be deceiving. <\/p>\n Love Lies Bleeding<\/em><\/strong> is so outside the box it is nowhere near the square shaped object. There are brilliant moments of fantasy and surrealism that are pure magic. This feels like it should have a Coen Bros credit attached to it.<\/p>\n JJ and Jackie.<\/p>\n The fight scene with Lou Sr.<\/p>\n Jackie\u2019s participation at the competition.<\/p>\n The ending.<\/p>\n The FX. <\/p>\n Stewart rocks it here. She has grown so much as an actor that her Messenger <\/strong><\/em>days are far behind her. O\u2019Brian is another actor who fits her role with an almost effortless ease. <\/p>\n Harris, as Lou Sr, almost steals the entire film. His \u201cbug\u201d collecting gangster is evil and off balance. Only Harris has this ability. An ability of playing disturbing characters. <\/p>\n Cinematographer Ben Fordesman<\/a> makes this one count. Each frame crackles with a certain electricity. He allows the character to move naturally regardless of the scene. <\/p>\n Editor Mark Towns<\/a> puts everything together seamlessly. <\/p>\nThe Story<\/h4>\n
The Main Cast<\/h4>\n
Desert towns are Nuts<\/h4>\n
It is unusual<\/h4>\n
Outside the box<\/h4>\n
Standing Out<\/h6>\n
Kudos<\/h4>\n
Behind the camera<\/h4>\n