April 4, 2024 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | By Sophia Lisco
Spring break, for many Colorado College students, is a time for relaxation, rejuvenation, conversation and libations. The time between Block 6 and 7 is meant to be a momentary respite from the Block Plan and all associated stressors and responsibilities. Many caught up with family and old friends, vacationing on the beach or skiing in the mountains. I had a great spring break despite doing neither of those things, and that is due largely in part to my experience seeing “Love Lies Bleeding.”
Was it the best day of my life? Not quite –– but it comes close. The film is still showing in theaters, and I implore you to see it on the big screen while you still can. I am deeply envious of the CC cohort who got to experience “Love Lies Bleeding” at Sundance this year, and especially furious at those who didn’t take the opportunity, no matter how much they loved “I Saw the TV Glow.”
There is little that compares to “Love Lies Bleeding,” though people have certainly looked for candidates. Some have brought up “Thelma and Louise” because of the massive ravine that becomes central to the story, others have said “Bound,” another sapphic crime thriller, but neither even comes close to hinting at what’s really going on in “Love Lies Bleeding.”
The film demands to be recognized as more than just another ‘lesbian movie,’ typically characterized by the tropes of tragedy, unrequited love and (when male-directed) scissoring. No, “Love Lies Bleeding” stretches boundaries in all directions –– literally.
In a breakthrough performance, Katy O’Brian stars as Jackie, a bodybuilder who rolls into town on her way to Las Vegas. She stumbles into the run-down gym where Lou (Kristen Stewart) works the front desk, and the two spark an instant, powerful bond. As their lives become more intertwined, Lou’s shadowy past comes to light in unexpected ways. Blood, sex and heavy lifting follow.
I am so happy that Kristen Stewart has re-entered my life. After being somewhat disappointed by “Spencer” and “The Happiest Season,” I was ready to part ways with the effete “Twilight” Saga star. But, in case you didn’t see her Rolling Stone cover, she is back, in a big way. Her dry demeanor and slightly off-putting gaze are no longer washed up, it’s artsy and indie, it’s camp and I’m so excited.
Stewart works with O’Brian to create a larger-than-life on-screen love connection. Because “Love Lies Bleeding” is so action-packed, Lou and Jackie’s journey from strangers to soulmates isn’t allotted much screen time, and the film relies heavily on the actors’ chemistry. Fortunately, their connection radiates beyond their steamy intimacy scenes and becomes the film’s driving force.
In a departure from the mainstream ‘lesbian as a genre’ film, “Love Lies Bleeding” has intimate scenes that seem to transcend the erotic in an expression of queer love and connection (unlike, say, “The Handmaiden”). Carefully choreographed, the scenes intentionally represent the power dynamics that dictate Lou and Jackie’s relationship. Take notes, Park Chan-wook.
Unfortunately, the reception of “Love Lies Bleeding” parallels that of “Saltburn” in disappointing ways. Both films became somewhat sensationalized for all the wrong reasons. Thanks to TikTok, Barry Keoghan’s “Saltburn” performance was unfairly scrutinized because of his creative choices. While somewhat disturbing, the infamous bathtub and grave scenes just weren’t as horrific as social media made them out to be. Chronically online creators mistakenly characterized “Love Lies Bleeding” in the same way — overreacting to violence and sex scenes that are mild even compared to this year’s Oscars lineup. Because the content in these films aren’t usually mainstream, it gets unfairly sensationalized in a way that detracts from its true form and content. Not cool!
In case it’s not clear, I loved “Love Lies Bleeding.” I love Lou and Jackie, I love how they shoot up steroids together, I love how the P.O.S. male characters (Ed Harris and Dave Franco) get what’s coming to them, and I love how Kristen Stewart smokes so, so many cigarettes. It’s only April, but “Love Lies Bleeding” is my film of the year. Please go see it.