Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Queer romance has extreme violence, explicit sex scenes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Love Lies Bleeding
What's the Story?
In LOVE LIES BLEEDING, Jackie (Katy O'Brian) is hitchhiking her way to Las Vegas to compete in a body-building competition when she meets and falls in love with Lou (Kristen Stewart), the manager of Crater Gym. When Lou's complicated family dynamics prevent her from leaving the small New Mexico town, Jackie takes matters into her own hands.
Is It Any Good?
Grimy and slimy, authentic yet avant garde, writer-director Rose Glass pumps up the chick flick in this action/romance movie. Think Thelma and Louise on steroids—literally. Jackie and Lou are opposites, so of course their attraction is magnetic. Jackie, adopted as a teen, is full of energy and movement, while Lou, whose mother abandoned her as a teen, is immobile, unable to leave her sketchy family because her dominant trait is protecting those she loves. Weronika Tofilska's script is like a weird twist on O. Henry's story "The Gift of the Magi," in which a couple each gives the other what they need, but it costs them what they have.
Love Lies Bleeding is excellent, but the ending goes off kilter from the rest of the film's gritty realism. It's a surprise, but it shouldn't be, as the genre and tone expertly change throughout. It's a stylistic crime drama, a dark comedy, a romance, a thriller, a monster movie, and a period piece, with a drop of science fiction. This homage to Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis' 1990s female empowerment film (truly a love story if there ever was one) is reconstructed into a complete original and cheerfully buckles viewers in for the ride—just don't be surprised when it goes off a cliff.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how to classify Love Lies Bleeding. What genre would you say it is? Does it help you to know what kind of movie you're seeing before you start?
Does the movie glamorize smoking? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
How do Lou and Jackie compare to other queer characters you've seen in movies and TV? Why is authentic representation important?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 8, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : April 26, 2024
- Cast : Kristen Stewart , Katy O'Brian , Ed Harris , Dave Franco
- Director : Rose Glass
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s) , Lesbian Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : A24
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence and grisly images, sexual content, nudity, language throughout and drug use
- Award : BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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