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Love Lies Bleeding -
This neo-noir really wants you to believe it's edgy and controversial. Where to begin? There's a torrid and graphic lesbian love affair, HGH injections, plenty of smoking, an abusive brother-in-law, Ed Harris as a skulleted gun range manager with a fondness for stag beetles, etc. All these flourishes may have had the intended effect twenty years ago, but today, they come across as trying too hard. What's more, this supposedly tangy yet actually plain frosting is on top of equally plain cake. In other words, the movie does not do anything novel with its genre tropes. As for the climactic moment that may have brought this movie to your attention, as much as I'd love to say it's actually edgy, it seems like a cop out more than anything else.
Despite being disappointed overall, there are things in the movie worth appreciating. I like the atmospheric presentation, and the late '80s period touches are accurate and without being too kitschy. The performances are also uniformly strong, especially Ed Harris for how he knows what kind of movie he is in, for how he chews the scenery and...other things just enough. I can see what Rose Glass and company were going for in making you wonder how much you would sacrifice if you found that exact person you were seeking, but due to all its missteps, it doesn't quite pay it off. With this movie and the equally middling Drive-Away Dolls, lesbian stories deserve better in 2024, which is a shame given how many great ones there have been in recent years (Booksmart, Bottoms, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, et al).
This neo-noir really wants you to believe it's edgy and controversial. Where to begin? There's a torrid and graphic lesbian love affair, HGH injections, plenty of smoking, an abusive brother-in-law, Ed Harris as a skulleted gun range manager with a fondness for stag beetles, etc. All these flourishes may have had the intended effect twenty years ago, but today, they come across as trying too hard. What's more, this supposedly tangy yet actually plain frosting is on top of equally plain cake. In other words, the movie does not do anything novel with its genre tropes. As for the climactic moment that may have brought this movie to your attention, as much as I'd love to say it's actually edgy, it seems like a cop out more than anything else.
Despite being disappointed overall, there are things in the movie worth appreciating. I like the atmospheric presentation, and the late '80s period touches are accurate and without being too kitschy. The performances are also uniformly strong, especially Ed Harris for how he knows what kind of movie he is in, for how he chews the scenery and...other things just enough. I can see what Rose Glass and company were going for in making you wonder how much you would sacrifice if you found that exact person you were seeking, but due to all its missteps, it doesn't quite pay it off. With this movie and the equally middling Drive-Away Dolls, lesbian stories deserve better in 2024, which is a shame given how many great ones there have been in recent years (Booksmart, Bottoms, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, et al).