How long have we been waiting for a film noir thriller with lesbians, bodybuilding, gun running and steroid abuse? Well, now we can wait no longer for Love Lies Bleeding, the new film by director Rose Glass, who gave us the excellent Saint Maud, has delivered all of this and then some. This stylish, imaginative thriller grips us from the very start. It takes us on a journey of female empowerment, revenge, and the edge of surrealism, which is both intelligent and highly gripping.

Lou lives in small-town America in the 80s, working in a gym, having to protect her sister from an abusive husband and is estranged from her father, who runs a gun range. Jackie, a bodybuilder heading to Las Vegas for a competition, enters her life. The pair have an instant attraction, and everything seems to be going well when her sister’s abusive husband goes too far and leads the women to deal with the consequences of their actions, as well as facing Lou’s father, who has the power to tear them apart.

Glass’s film is very reminiscent of the thrillers of the past. This is a movie in which the women play such a powerful part of the story. It has a dash of film noir, from shadows and darkness to the tones of the early Coen Brothers (Blood Simple springs to mind). A far cry from her previous movie in both pace and genre (Saint Maud was a slow burner), this is almost relentless in its approach to the story. From the very start, it intrigues you, and that keeps you wondering where this film will eventually end up.

The thing that helps with this is Glass’s ability to use the camera and lighting to enhance the story, which is fascinating enough. Scenes of Lou’s father and his illegal activities are given a red hue that is surprisingly unsettling. She understands that it would be far too easy to point the camera at the action and just film, so she challenges the cinematic form with solid use of close-ups, holding back before revealing the violent images (and this is very violent in places) and pushes the button with her ideas. The finale will divide audiences, but don’t let that put you off.

Along with the themes of revenge and female empowerment, it has an air of early Quentin Tarintino with characters who we shouldn’t be cheering for but who are flawed and who we can accept for who they are. The relationship between Lou and Jackie is the pivotal part of the story; they are electric. Even though they are from different worlds, they connect. Sadly, Lou’s insistence that Jackie gets involved in steroids, when she clearly doesn’t need them, takes the bodybuilder into a world that causes her to have almost superhero strength, reminiscent of The Incredible Hulk, but without the green skin.

The cast is superb. Ed Harris, Lou’s father, is monstrous, not only in his characteristics but also in his hairstyle. He still has the power to disturb even when he isn’t threatening. Dave Franco is equally nasty as Lou’s brother-in-law and plays ultimately against type. A massive surprise from an actor who, in real life, is genuinely lovely. Yet, if the film’s biggest star isn’t Rose Glass, it has to be Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brien, as well as Lou and Jackie. Stewart proves once again that she is one of the scren’s most exciting actresses around, taking this unassuming woman whose job is sticking her hand inside blocked toilets, to a world of sex and violence in the blink of an eye, just makes her so fascinating to watch. Watching Lou grow on screen is a pleasure.

Meanwhile, Katy O’Brien is a revelation. With several TV series behind her, including The Mandalorian, she is given a lead front and centre and attacks it with plenty of energy and charm. Here is a woman with the attitude of small-town America who changes into a brutal animal whenever she is pushed to the edge. She commands the screen brilliantly, and the chemistry between the two leads is breathtaking. Other film couples take note.

Love Lies Bleeding is a cracking thriller and a fascinating cinematic journey. The ending didn’t quite work for me and went a little too far, but it didn’t ruin what was an exciting movie with interesting characters and situations. It’s adult filmmaking that never once talks down to the audience. Rose Glass has done it again.

4 out of 5

Director: Rose Glass

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brien, Ed Harris, Dave Franco, Anna Baryshnikov, Jena Malone, Eldon James, Orion Carrington

Written by: Rose Glass and Weronika Tofilska

Running Time: 104 mins

Cert: 15

Release date: 3rd May 2024