{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "description": "Dave Franco with the mullet, Ed Harris with the skullet. It's not lost on me that A24 is one of the last movie studios that consistently releases movies that are risky, challenging and genuinely artistic. They're not perfect, but they've released plenty of movies that are exactly or nearly that. Love Lies Bleeding is often beautiful, disturbing and infrequently grotesque. Kristen Stewart's been following a wonderful artistic path, delivering one compelling performance after another after starring in the banal Twilight slog (saga? Sloga?). But, as compelling as Stewart is, it's Katy O'Brian that really breaks out in this role. Jackie drifts into Lou's life, exploited by JJ, employed by Lou Sr. and so focused on musclebound competition that she readily settles into steroid use and abuse that Lou casually facilitates. Jackie and Lou connect immediately with a love that's visceral and physical. While Jackie's adrift, Lou's frozen in place — trying to escape her father and defend her sister. Women trapped by abusive, exploitative and violent men. Jackie's physicality and rage finds Dave and in death Dave devastate's Lou's sister, further entwines Lou with Jackie and Jackie spirals. Love. Violence. Love and everyone looking for an out. Jackie's steroid use is depicted through these close-up scenes of growing muscles, bulging and crackling that reminded me of something you'd see in a body horror film. Jackie vomiting on stage during her bodybuilding competition is experienced by her as disgorging Lou in a visual grotesquerie that reminded my of The Substance . It's visceral and a marker of their emotional distance. Jackie stumbles to an escape, fails, strikes out and is reeled back in when she desperately reaches out to Lou Sr. for help. And then theres Daisy. Clueless, hapless, clingy and disposable. Lou and Jackie running through the clouds together, colorful and free as they escape is arrestingly beautiful. That it ends with the borderline-comedic scene of Lou choking Daisy and dragging her into the desert while Jackie sleeps before pausing for a smoke break (so much for quitting) is a fitting solution. Casually violent. Lou caring for Jackie no matter the consequences and the mess. Beautiful. : Robert Pattinson's been following a similar artistic path.",
  "path": "/watching/movies/love-lies-bleeding-2024",
  "publishedAt": "2025-10-07T13:20:00Z",
  "site": "at://did:plc:sttgf52vkk46f6yuknvqxvgh/site.standard.publication/self",
  "tags": [
    "thriller",
    "crime",
    "drama",
    "romance"
  ],
  "title": "Love Lies Bleeding"
}