Rent Love Lies Bleeding on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Rose Glass & Weronika Tofilska
Directed by: Rose Glass
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Jena Malone, Dave Franco, Ed Harris
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Gym manager Lou falls for Jackie, a bodybuilder who is passing through town en route to a competition in Las Vegas.
Verdict
This has enough style and creates a sufficient mood to stand out from the typical crime capers. Set in an '80s gym, this is love, steroids, and violence. Those don't often end well, and this is no exception. For a movie that makes a lot of metaphors through the empowerment of steroids, it drops all pretenses towards the end for a surreal sequence that seems out of place and unnecessary. The steroid aspect also adds to the tension with how it's used to accentuate characters and their mental state. Steroids act as a confidence booster, empowering characters to fight back against patriarchy.
It depends.
Review
This starts with everyone in a poorly lit gym, working out at night. This certainly has a dark sense of humor as we first see Lou (Kristen Stewart) working on a clogged toilet. Lou is the unsatisfied employee of the gym that becomes enamored by bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O'Brian). They have a connection and Lou offers her steroids to help her training. Jackie talks about wanting to be natural but takes steroids rather quickly when offered. It could be that she just can't afford them. I didn't see their romance going anywhere in a small town where everyone knows everybody's business, and this being set in the 80s which is not a traditionally accepting time period.
Everything in this movie is dingy and dirty. That certainly adds to the mood, additionally a large percentage of characters are rocking or starting a mullet. There's certainly some foreshadowing with Lou's dad, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris) who runs the gun range and seems to be smuggling guns. His fascination with bugs instantly makes him unsettling. Lou doesn't like him, but we don't learn why until later.
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| Katy O'Brian, Kristen Stewart play Jackie, Lou |
Lou's brother-in-law J.J. (Dave Franco) is a real piece of work. He's a terrible person that abuses his wife in public. The plot kicks into gear when his abuse escalates and he puts his wife Beth (Jena Malone) into the hospital. The cops only manage to take a statement despite more than enough evidence. Lou is upset, but Jackie is enraged. It's implied the steroids amplify Jackie's anger.
Lou and Jackie have this infatuation. Lou feels isolated and sees a companion in Jackie. Jackie is trying to get by, and we don't know if she likes Lou or is preying on her insecurities for a place to stay. Jackie is spiraling, her dependence and reaction to steroids straining the relationship. Throughout the movie, we get these quick clips implying the steroids are changing Jackie. While it's a boost to her confidence, there's also a sinister side to it.
Later the movie takes us inside Jackie's head. She's dealing with guilt and this intense program for the bodybuilding competition. With the steroids throughout the movie, we never quite know what's real versus what is in Jackie's head. We know they give her a sense of control. The end takes the subtlety in a different direction. We see Jackie's sense of empowerment physically, but the way that is represented just seems silly. It could have established the same idea in a number of different ways.
This is a typical crime caper, but the setting and dinginess set it apart. There's also the steroid metaphor. This is a time period that was prone to subjugating women. Steroids are a way for Jackie to defy that and control her own destiny. She's a contrast to Beth. The steroids boost her confidence so she feels capable of standing up to opposition.
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