Was Sundance 2024 a bust? Maybe felt that way a little bit, right? Not that many shot-out-of-a-cannon highlights, not that many breakouts, seemingly a bit of a muted festival arguably. But if there was one film that had a lot of rocket fuel to it, it was arguably Rose Glass’ “Love Lies Bleeding,” a romantic crime thriller starring Kristen Stewart and newcomer Katy O’Brien, known for recent turns in “The Mandalorian” and “Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania.”
Glass is, of course, known for her breakthrough feature, the horror film, “Saint Maud,” which also landed its lead, Morfydd Clark, on the map. “Saint Maud” attracted a lot of new fans, and Kristen Stewart was one of them. According to a recent Variety article, write after the actress saw “Saint Maud,” she had to meet the filmmaker.
“I couldn’t believe that a young woman who’d never made a movie made a movie like that,” Stewart said. “Just to be allowed to find a voice in that way is not an easy task, and it was ambitious and funny and scary.”
“Love Lies Bleeding” is essentially a queer romance told within the framework of a crime thriller and the world of bodybuilding, an intriguing mélange for sure. The film also stars Jena Malone and Anna Baryshnikov, with Dave Franco and Ed Harris.
“Director Rose Glass has once again made a monster movie, albeit one of a different character than the spiritual possession in her scorching debut “Saint Maud,” our review from Sundance wrote. “Here, Glass finds a Gothic-tinged tale of passion and pride burning brightly amidst the embers of the eighties.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
From Director Rose Glass comes an electric new love story; reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family
“Love Lies Bleeding” lands in select theaters on March 8, 2024, and then goes wide on March 15. Watch the new trailer below.
