A violent, steroid-fueled noir set in the rural American West of 1989
In short: Rose Glass’s second feature, Love Lies Bleeding, is a pulpy romantic thriller that follows a reclusive gym manager and an ambitious bodybuilder. Their intense relationship spirals into a web of crime, steroids, and family vengeance, earning critical acclaim for its stylish, genre-bending take on the classic noir tradition.
Set in a small New Mexican town in 1989, the film centers on Lou, a gym manager estranged from her father, Lou Sr., a powerful businessman with a criminal past. When Lou meets Jackie, a bisexual bodybuilder passing through on her way to a competition in Las Vegas, their immediate attraction leads to a volatile partnership. As Jackie’s steroid use escalates, her behavior becomes increasingly erratic, eventually culminating in a brutal murder that forces the couple into a desperate struggle against Lou’s father and his criminal network.
The film, directed by Rose Glass and co-written with Weronika Tofilska, has been noted for its stylistic influences, drawing comparisons to the works of filmmakers like David Lynch and the Coen brothers. Critics have praised the film’s ability to transcend its influences, with the National Board of Review naming it one of the Top Ten Independent Films of 2024. Despite its dark, violent narrative, the film maintains a sense of dark humor, with director John Waters famously describing it as a film that Russ Meyer might have created if he were a lesbian intellectual addicted to steroids.
Production for the film took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, between June and August 2022. Following its premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, the film saw a theatrical release in the United States by A24 and in the United Kingdom by Lionsgate UK. It performed well with critics, holding a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and grossed a total of $12.5 million worldwide. The film’s success highlights the growing reputation of Rose Glass, whose previous work includes the 2019 film Saint Maud.
The narrative explores themes of obsession and control, particularly through the lens of the characters' physical transformations and their entanglements with the local criminal underworld. While some critics noted the plot’s increasing complexity, the film is widely regarded as a well-acted and intentional piece of cinema that effectively balances its pulpy, noir-inspired elements with a grounded, character-driven story.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Love Lies Bleeding (2024 film)
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