"Love Lies Bleeding"

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[00:00:33] and this is our review of the Love Lives Pleading. You taught your dad recently?

[00:00:40] Why?

[00:00:47] Give us a call.

[00:00:54] So where did you appear from?

[00:01:02] Oklahoma. I've never been anywhere but here.

[00:01:07] What are you doing with that meat girl?

[00:01:14] Get a lot of crazy ass foreigners mostly. How's it going guys?

[00:01:20] This here's Jackie. She needs a job. She'll do anything.

[00:01:25] You like guns? Not really.

[00:01:27] What the fuck are you doing here then?

[00:01:32] A bit more powerful in a punch.

[00:01:35] Oh yeah. Call me when it's done.

[00:01:40] What is this place? Huh? You don't understand.

[00:01:49] Get back to my car.

[00:01:50] Already everybody you just listening to the trailer for Love Lives Bleeding and the story is as

[00:01:55] follows. Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie and ambitious bodybuilder headed

[00:02:02] through town to Las Vegas in pursuit of her dream but their love ignites violence pulling

[00:02:07] them deep into the web of Lou's criminal family. The film is starring Kristen Stewart,

[00:02:13] Katie O'Brien, and Harris, Dave Franco, Jenna Malone, and Anna Baruchnokov.

[00:02:19] It is written and directed by Rose Glass and co-written by

[00:02:22] Veronica Tafilska. Here to join me today for this podcast review I have Josh Parham.

[00:02:29] Hello hello and Giovanni Lago. Rat tails are back baby.

[00:02:35] Rat tails, mullets? I mean they might as well just call this movie Mullet the Movie.

[00:02:40] Seriously, maybe it might be an all-timer in the subgenre for Mullets in a film.

[00:02:47] This is Rose Glass's follow up to her directorial debut,

[00:02:52] Saint Maud which came out unfortunately here in the US right around the time when

[00:02:57] the world was shutting down during the pandemic so it really took a bit for that film to find

[00:03:02] some life of course it did pretty well overseas and then over here in the US I think it has steadily

[00:03:09] developed a cult following and it still contains to this day one of the most shocking memorable

[00:03:14] endings to a film that I can recall in quite some time. I remember emerging from that film

[00:03:20] that they gave to myself wow like this is a real new talent someone who has truly announced

[00:03:25] themselves with a provocative piece of work here so there was a tremendous amount of anticipation

[00:03:30] for her follow up film here, Love Lies Bleeding which had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance

[00:03:35] Film Festival. It's being released here by A24 it has just recently expanded into more theaters and

[00:03:41] now let's hear what we all thought about it as a comparison maybe to Saint Maud or as an evolution

[00:03:49] for Rose Glass as a storyteller. Let's start off first here with Giovanni Lago, Gia, what did you

[00:03:55] think of Love Lies Bleeding? Well this was also a unique experience for me because this was my first time

[00:04:01] going to an almost draft house to watch a movie so the vibes were already immaculate going in and I

[00:04:08] did really like Rose Glass first film Saint Maud. I don't think it worked entirely for me,

[00:04:15] I wasn't in like Adoration Camp but I've seen how time over people solely fall in love with this

[00:04:20] especially how you mentioned you know that world radically ending for a bit that it didn't really

[00:04:25] get the following it probably would have when it released. So I was already excited for Love Lies Bleeding

[00:04:32] I think you know that trailer that came out was just so immaculate crafted and it just felt

[00:04:37] incredibly like my type of film going into it. I was already excited I think this is in my top

[00:04:44] number three actually most anticipated film the year and I'm glad to say I think it lived up

[00:04:49] to every level I expected a four I think it's just this incredibly niche slice of Americana you know

[00:04:55] of just this southern closer like Midwest bodybuilding scene and just roared rage and it's gory

[00:05:03] and also incredibly sensual and beautiful and tender and it's got so much going on which at times

[00:05:11] I do think could be a bit distracting especially towards the ending. I think the performances are out

[00:05:18] of this world. I think Risen Stewart wrote my letterbox reaction I was like I think she is up there

[00:05:24] with like Emma Stone about like some of the best contemporary working actresses right now. I think

[00:05:28] she's unreal in this movie. I think this is such a project that's incredibly suited to her skill

[00:05:34] sense as a performer but like you know we talked about Kriza Stewart and I'm sure we're going to

[00:05:38] rave about her bunch of Acadia overhides unreal. I've seen her and other stuff before mainly TV like

[00:05:43] Mandalorian and stuff like that. She knows she's solid but this seemed like something she was

[00:05:49] incredibly passionate about. She does bodybuilding in real life so she really goes into this

[00:05:55] performance is such a grandiose and angry and performance full of vitual I loved it. I think

[00:06:02] them together are great. I think Ed Harris getting time to cook is also great. We don't really see

[00:06:08] like Ed Harris do much besides like I'm trying to remember the last film. Besides like one scene

[00:06:12] in Top Gun America and like the lost daughter. So him just being at the most ratty long hair,

[00:06:20] gun-toting criminal yes I dig the whole aesthetic it's truly a vibe film especially when I get

[00:06:26] towards again some of it might take people out but I was already locked in. I just felt like this

[00:06:30] might be the coolest movie to come out this year. All right all right Josh Parg what about you?

[00:06:36] What did you think? So I also really did enjoy Rose Glass's previous movie St.

[00:06:42] Maud not a perfect film but one that showed a lot of potential especially with the filmmaking

[00:06:48] and the atmosphere that she was able to create with that. And I felt very similarly about

[00:06:52] Love Lies bleeding. I think that I was really interested like right off the bat with this world

[00:06:59] that was being created that you know you kind of take a moment to figure out like he had been

[00:07:04] exactly where it's set because it doesn't really telegraph that to you but it's so it feels so

[00:07:12] rich and textured. And I love the characters that it was presenting us that felt like that they were

[00:07:17] these outsiders but you were slowly getting drawn into their dynamic and I really was enjoying

[00:07:23] that in this whole like criminal underbelly that they were that was sort of existing on the

[00:07:28] periphery is what was encroaching in. I think the movie does start to lose me a bit as it goes on

[00:07:35] I think that it's attempts to go bigger with some more stylish things and it's narrative. Sometimes

[00:07:42] they work and I'm like oh this is like kind of bachelors crazy but I'm sort of into it but I do

[00:07:46] think it kind of reaches a critical moment when it's a little too much for me and I don't know if

[00:07:52] it really lands like all of its all of its metaphors and all of the strands that it's trying to follow

[00:07:59] and I do have to admit that especially towards a third act I was waiting for it to really land with

[00:08:07] something that would be more impactful that just ended up losing me a bit and that was kind of

[00:08:12] unfortunate but having said that I still find myself pretty interested in the story and I still

[00:08:17] think the movies are really engaging exercise it's just unfortunate that what I think start not

[00:08:24] really strong just lost a lot of steam by the end but I still liked the movie overall.

[00:08:30] So I will start off by saying this is very much my kind of movie. It's a dark new noir that blends

[00:08:39] romance with violence it has this love story tied to it that you get really wrapped up in and

[00:08:47] it's also about ordinary people caught up in imaginary but also like unbelievable circumstances. I

[00:08:55] say imaginary because as you said Josh there are some psychedelic aspects to this movie a slight

[00:09:03] supernatural we'll say element to it that produces yet another extremely memorable ending I'll

[00:09:11] say for Rose Glass maybe this will be a reoccurring theme in her filmography moving forward but I was

[00:09:18] so sucked into the alluring atmosphere film is set in 1989 in New Mexico so right away I'm thinking

[00:09:27] we got breaking bad kind of vibes here based on the setting Clint Manzel is delivering this

[00:09:34] really really great atmospheric score that is just seeping through every element of this movie

[00:09:41] to the point that it's just like as Geo said you're kind of just locked in. Now I can see how

[00:09:48] once the story starts to get a little bit more batch at crazy and you know some people might say it

[00:09:54] goes off the rails a little bit I completely understand that mentality in fact Josh like hearing

[00:10:01] your comments not surprised at all like not shocked you hear you say what you said here I totally

[00:10:08] get it because I knew I knew I don't want to give it away but I knew when I saw where this film was

[00:10:14] going I thought to myself oh man people are gonna be really into probably the setup of this film

[00:10:19] but when it starts getting hyper violent and the tension and the stakes just start rising

[00:10:25] and then how it all resolves at the end I think it's gonna lose some people so for me

[00:10:32] it very much did not I enjoyed the hell out of this movie now with that said do I think it's like

[00:10:38] an important film do I think it's gonna like go down as one of the absolute best movies I see this year

[00:10:44] probably not but as a film just for sheer enjoyment for me personally like this was a hell of a good time

[00:10:52] and I really really liked especially just it's overall premise I was thinking a lot about how

[00:10:59] you know and I'll ask you guys I guess this on a personal level you ever like fall in

[00:11:04] hard for someone so much so that then when you actually get to know them you do even discover

[00:11:12] uh some crazy whacked up shit about their family or something about their past that makes you

[00:11:19] want to run away but you end up staying with them anyway I don't know what you're talking about

[00:11:23] that is really for me well cocker's all Josh okay all the red flags thrown out the window and in

[00:11:30] this movie it's literally just red goop just blood everywhere instead of flags with the lucky land

[00:11:36] sluts you can get lucky just about anywhere this is your captain speaking we've got clear runway

[00:11:42] and the weather's fine but we're just gonna circle up here a while and get lucky oh no nothing

[00:11:47] like that it's just these cash prizes add up quick so I suggest you sit back keep your tray table

[00:11:52] upright and start getting lucky life for free at luckylandsluts.com are you feeling lucky no purchase

[00:11:59] necessary void were prohibited by law 18 plus terms and conditions apply see website for details

[00:12:06] but that was what I kept thinking about was like what do we do for love like when we are head over

[00:12:11] heels in love with somebody and then we start to get to know them as a person and it's like these two

[00:12:16] characters uh Lou and Jackie like poor Jackie gets mixed up with Lou and her ties to her criminal family

[00:12:26] and yet even though she's not necessarily like I wouldn't say in in in on it she is still a part of it

[00:12:33] and it is something that that conflict that drama for me was the relatable element that I was

[00:12:40] really like latching on to throughout because I have had relationships where it's like you start

[00:12:46] to get to know someone and you uncover stuff and you're like whoa oh there's a backstory there

[00:12:51] you know it's like do I want to stay or do I want to go and that's the strongest element of

[00:12:56] this narrative for me is that relationship that dynamic between those two characters that

[00:13:01] I was I was so into it and the initial setup to that because I do think that they're both

[00:13:07] really fascinating just on their own in terms of their own backstories and the baggage that they have

[00:13:13] and how once it becomes this relationship where it intermingles with one of the with each other

[00:13:20] then it's like oh now we're seeing the true test of this and I I wasn't intrigued by that

[00:13:26] but yeah as you mentioned man I do think as the movie goes on it does start to go into more

[00:13:32] bigger or more fantastical territory which a part of me I was sort of into because I do like it

[00:13:37] sometimes when the movie just says you know we're gonna be weird and just go with us on the ride

[00:13:42] but I think there was just also something about it where it felt like the intimacy of

[00:13:48] peering into those characters kind of started to go by the wayside in that it was just more indulging

[00:13:53] in those fantastical elements at the expense of really honing in on these characters that I was

[00:13:58] really fascinated by and I just felt a bit of a distance once the movie kept going. Yeah I could

[00:14:04] have used a little bit more intimacy I would say in the relationship it's sexually charged there's

[00:14:12] of course that physical attraction between them and during those scenes in the movie it's definitely

[00:14:17] very steamy it evokes the feeling of watching like in 80s like a Rodic thriller of some sort and

[00:14:25] I like I said before was very very into how much rose glass was both leaning into I would argue

[00:14:33] some form of inspiration like some inspirations of other cinematic films you know from that era but

[00:14:41] also too like there just was I think because of those big swings that she took with some of the more

[00:14:49] psychedelic and supernatural elements especially regarding ending I think that's what helped

[00:14:54] this to stand out without that it's just another steamy kind of new noir like sexy thriller you know

[00:15:04] it doesn't I don't know how it differentiates itself without those elements. I do think though that

[00:15:10] like the physical aspect of their relationship is of course so integral to it because I do agree there's

[00:15:16] like very cute intimate moments between them that really deepen the relationship. I think especially

[00:15:20] the final shot of that movie like the ending really cements that but I this is a movie about like

[00:15:28] bodybuilding and sex is such an integral also part of their relationship and it's so

[00:15:33] hard on so physical and the human body is just so focused on this movie so I do see how some

[00:15:40] moments are like we could use a little bit more like quieter intimacy but like I think the abrasiveness

[00:15:45] of just just constant skin whether it's them hooking up whether aggressively or not or you know

[00:15:52] scenes where Jackie is like working out and as she's furthering furthering spiraling out like her

[00:15:57] muscles are starting to stretch. Shout out to the sound work. I think the sound work in the movie

[00:16:02] is so immaculate and we'll go down some of the best of the year because just a way you hear like

[00:16:07] there when you're working out you know when you're it's doing weightlifting it's you're literally

[00:16:12] tearing the fibers of your muscle and then when you're starting to eat all that it's like healing it

[00:16:16] you can like hear the muscles tear as she's just working out more and more and they're stretching

[00:16:22] and the veins start swelling and I just think the whole physical component about it being so

[00:16:27] integral is just honestly outweighs the quieter intimate moments for me. Yeah I agree with that

[00:16:33] because on one hand the physical attractiveness of the two of them like the the energy that they

[00:16:40] are drawn to and one another is what gives the film its propulsive energy and creates that sensational

[00:16:46] feeling in life and as a viewer that we can relate to where that rush of love and that rush of

[00:16:54] attraction will push you to do crazy things you know like the old saying of love makes you do

[00:17:01] crazy things right I think that that is something that the film is going for but in doing so it

[00:17:08] then has to sacrifice I think a little bit more um character work that could have gone into some

[00:17:15] more of the uh intimate moments between them. I'm not saying that that it's completely absent here

[00:17:20] because I do think that there are especially in the first 45 minutes or so um those moments sprinkled

[00:17:26] throughout but I never I really wish this movie could have like just spent just a little bit more

[00:17:32] time of us getting to understand Jackie as a character. I think we have a better understanding of

[00:17:40] Lou as a character in this but I think Jackie is treated secondary to her and that's something that

[00:17:47] I think could have been gained from that on the other hand though like I said it's been a give and take

[00:17:51] because by giving the film kind of that rush of adrenaline and an excitement of falling in love with

[00:17:59] someone and the things that that will push someone to do uh for them that is what keeps them

[00:18:04] momentum of the film up and that is something that I really appreciate. I love how you're mentioning

[00:18:09] but like a shot of like well that's what love is and I think you know Jackie's clearly the whole movie

[00:18:14] is her like furthering down roiding up but for the equivalent of Lou's Roids it's like being more and

[00:18:20] more attached to this relationship and like you said what she would do for the love of it and to keep

[00:18:25] Jackie in her life. And I think also you know with Jackie I do find her backstory interesting

[00:18:32] it clearly is like you mentioned second fiddle to Lou but I think it works because I think the whole

[00:18:37] thing is Jackie is like this on-comer and just gets so enveloped in Lou's world and how that

[00:18:42] slowly taints her whether it's everything that boils down with JJ or Lou introducing her to

[00:18:48] start taking Roids and how that starts pushing her further and further off the deep end. I think

[00:18:53] it works for her because it's very much how she is tainted by this love and you know it's a very

[00:18:58] pure innocent love to a degree but there is a bit of toxicity um you know in the beginning of the movie

[00:19:06] Lou was cleaning up a mess and that the other movie she's also cleaning up a mess but this time from

[00:19:10] like Jackie it's certain moments where it's like this is very one side in you seeing how these

[00:19:15] power dynamics are constantly shifting between the both of them as the film goes throughout.

[00:19:20] You know at the same time though I just feel like you know there's a very dramatic act that Jackie

[00:19:28] takes in the name of love. Yeah and you know I would sort of like to feel not that it is unjustified

[00:19:37] or not believable within this story but it to me it did kind of feel like that is a very dramatic

[00:19:44] action to take from a character that up until this point like I get the intensity of their relationship

[00:19:50] I get the connection that they're having but I don't know if it has gone quite that deep for me

[00:19:56] and I think at that point it's really at that point is when the movie just loses that real intimacy

[00:20:02] and feels like it is more indulgent of this almost like a horror type you know thriller atmosphere

[00:20:10] and I was engaged by it but not as much as I was with the character stuff beforehand and

[00:20:16] and I think that's where I felt a little bit of a disappointment with where the story was going

[00:20:22] at at that particular juncture that it was still interesting I was still into it but I felt like

[00:20:27] it traded off the character study for more atmosphere and I just wasn't as into it with the

[00:20:34] the previous part. I totally get that especially how you can see it as being more so a catalyst

[00:20:40] so that way the plot can go forward but I do think like with Jackie you know we see her

[00:20:45] but it's not like she's not prone to acting out to degree because there's that whole interaction

[00:20:49] where they're smoking together and then the the gym dude comes up and she punches him I just

[00:20:55] chalked it up to her just starting to juice and the more she started juicing you know just the

[00:20:59] anger and all the emotions come out but like I totally see how that could be just a big leap.

[00:21:04] I don't think that's meant to be taken so literally though I really do think yes that's a part of

[00:21:08] it and you can read that on the surface but I do think it is supposed to just be a metaphor for

[00:21:14] like not overdosing but like you know just essentially allowing herself to be consumed by this

[00:21:19] passion that she has for this upper person and what it will push her to do. I do think that the

[00:21:25] steroids are meant to be sort of like a you know very very flimsy kind of metaphor for this.

[00:21:31] Yeah I can see that yeah because at the end of the day like the steroids are meant to be used

[00:21:36] in the world of bodybuilding to achieve the goal of competing in like you know like the competition

[00:21:42] that she wants to win you know for example whereas you know with a relationship with Lou it's not

[00:21:49] the steroids but like it's just like passion it's just this desire and lust that she has that

[00:21:54] is driving her to win another prize if you will in this case. And like I said I think it's a little

[00:22:02] flimsy between the two but I think that that is the intention behind the metaphor of it all.

[00:22:07] I don't really think this movie is actually taking like a definitive stance here on steroid use

[00:22:13] or gun use within the country or anything like that. I could see how that could be read into

[00:22:18] but I really don't think that the movie has any of this necessarily on its mind from a

[00:22:25] political or social standpoint. Yeah I think also just a way I mean to your point also like

[00:22:30] the steroid use is like used as for play like when they're like being a garbage he introduces it

[00:22:36] and it's literally for play just with needles and I guess it's like a direct metaphor for like

[00:22:41] injecting her with like this affection and love and then they begin to hook up and that's

[00:22:45] how the relationship starts. Sure sure and everything too I was also thinking a lot about in

[00:22:50] watching this and Josh just going back to some of the comments you were making earlier

[00:22:54] I couldn't help but think to myself you know the world that this is set in the characters

[00:22:59] and the way they're set up it reminds me so much of something like I mentioned this early like

[00:23:04] breaking bad or like Ozark right where these are just ordinary people caught up in a criminal

[00:23:12] underworld and yes of we mentioned there's some supernatural aspects to this here but

[00:23:19] those shows are very much grounded within reality and I think in the case of like being

[00:23:23] able to tell this over the course of say like a mini series or something it would have allowed for

[00:23:28] some of those more those more specific character moments to kind of like come through a little bit

[00:23:36] more whereas this you know you have a runtime of just over a hundred minutes things have to move

[00:23:40] quickly and some of that nuance gets lost in the process I think that's just you know the

[00:23:46] advantage and disadvantage of working within the medium of film versus you know through television

[00:23:53] where you have that longer format to be able to dive a little bit deeper into the characters

[00:23:58] to setting explore the themes a little bit more and I that was what I was thinking of the most while

[00:24:06] watching this in terms of okay why is this not fully working for me and I think it's just a

[00:24:11] limitation of runtime I think that's a part of it I think for me it is also just that the decisions

[00:24:18] at this story makes at a certain point just feels like it is shifting its focus away from a more

[00:24:27] compelling dynamic between these between these new people at the time and I think that it becomes

[00:24:33] more obsessed with the atmosphere that's creating and the the violence that it showcasing and

[00:24:40] and that just was not quite as interesting to me and I think especially if you're going to do that

[00:24:46] I wanted a lot more of ad Harris then like I wanted more of his just yeah scuzzy you know like low

[00:24:53] level criminal like I wanted if we were gonna be indulging more in that particular world than I

[00:24:59] wanted more of it like I wanted to see this there's really bad guy who just can give you a look

[00:25:05] and you're scared and we don't really get that much of ad Harris in that section of the film and I

[00:25:10] think he's really good at what he's been given to do but if you're gonna go for that indulgence then

[00:25:15] I really want that indulgence and I didn't feel like it went all that way for me I kind of

[00:25:21] agree with you I do but I will say this now date Franco gives a jaw dropping performance in this

[00:25:29] movie I did like him I took it out he was really good it's the first shot of them in the car

[00:25:34] went him and Jack you're hooking up I was like okay hold on that hold on did my did my pongo

[00:25:38] over both of your heads wait what what did you say I said jaw dropping performance

[00:25:51] his performance is not that amazing it's nothing out it's nothing special I don't know what to go for

[00:25:56] the way you vote that his character like the exits the story sorry you know what we were that

[00:26:03] impressed with him that we didn't even notice we took it as a real compliment I think he's really

[00:26:09] good at it for like what little screen time he has you know he's just a scumbag but he's really

[00:26:14] like this little number two henchmen to ad Harris and it feels like all the insecurities he has he

[00:26:20] takes it out on his poor wife who's blue sister which is also a big like grounding force for the movie

[00:26:27] and like that relationship till the ending which I have a little bit of a complaint about but I

[00:26:33] think you know his use in the story is good and that whole sequence is great I think it kind

[00:26:38] of tends into when the whole altercation comes between Jackie and JJ and seeing that it felt very much

[00:26:48] grounded in that world but then some of the other moments where you mentioned does get

[00:26:52] fantastical I think it mainly there's a bodybuilding sequence where the involves like a larva and I

[00:26:59] know it's supposed to represent like the larva also that like ad Harris has but I'm like all right

[00:27:04] and then it just it goes further and further and I feel like if you're not dialed into that wavelength

[00:27:09] you are just not really gonna like it in all honesty though outside of O'Brien and Stewart the

[00:27:14] performance that actually captivated me the most was Anna Barish Nikolak's who plays Daisy

[00:27:21] in this so I thought all of her scenes with Lou especially were really really phenomenal and

[00:27:28] oh that's another one where what happens to that character my god I was shocked I was shocked

[00:27:36] I was like what's happening audience jumped like crazy I think when her character though it's

[00:27:42] on the surface it's like oh it's the didsy blonde and she's like obsessing over Lou the whole movie

[00:27:48] but like as de plot the vellups she's actually far more calculated than she appears to be and it

[00:27:53] gives her like this underhand that you're like a wild card you don't know what she's gonna do or

[00:27:59] what you expect from her and that led like to a very interesting dynamic between her and Lou and Jackie

[00:28:04] yeah she's the character that everybody assumes is just dumb but in doing so they underestimate how

[00:28:12] like dangerous she could be and you know not a particularly novel trope to see in a movie but I do

[00:28:18] think it's executed very well here and I think the performance really really steers into it there

[00:28:24] there's especially a moment when she has a telephone call with Jackie that was like really like

[00:28:30] very chilling for that moment it was very very well done yeah when the mask comes off literally

[00:28:36] everything comes off literally everything I gotta say now too I have really really enjoyed

[00:28:46] Kristen Stewart's work throughout her entire career post-try light because once again those films

[00:28:54] not her fault she did the best that she could with what she was given but ever since then

[00:28:59] she has just continually knocked it out of the park with so many great performances dare I say

[00:29:07] I actually think that this is one of her best performances I've seen her give in recent memory yeah

[00:29:12] and there are two moments in particular that really solidified this for me it's the line reading

[00:29:21] of a simple three lettered word yep on the phone to ad Harris and then another simple three lettered

[00:29:31] word where she says huh that of all the door the door that we just mentioned um oh that's

[00:29:41] that was a great thing that that I again like you mentioned the audience to something everything when

[00:29:45] that happened I was just like in a state of like disillusioned shock where I was like what's

[00:29:50] happening like this isn't real like did she just step on something like what's going on and then

[00:29:54] like when the camera cuts then you see what's happening you're like what the fuck yeah I just think

[00:30:01] that she does such an amazing job of taking very very small moments and making them feel so

[00:30:09] natural and authentic to the point that I'm just like so dialed in into the performance and the story

[00:30:16] she's such a good emotional anchor for this that I think that's what really helped me to get

[00:30:23] involved with everything that was happening even though as you know we've mentioned some of it

[00:30:29] goes beyond the practical and you know what actually is possible and starts veering into some really

[00:30:38] crazy directions she was the human element of it all that like kind of just kept me always

[00:30:44] centered oh she's so great and I really just love her basically and everything to be honest I think

[00:30:49] she can make even bad material sing and you're right there's such a grounded nature to her where she

[00:30:56] really does feel like she is a part of this world that you know there's no glamour to it she you

[00:31:03] know there are very dramatic things that happen but she handles them like a normal person would

[00:31:09] and you really do buy into the intensity of the relationship that she's pursuing and the intensity

[00:31:15] of the these darker elements that are around her and how she's trying to push that out and navigate

[00:31:19] through it and I think Storges has a really incredible ability to inhabit all those different

[00:31:27] kinds of dramatic emotions within those characters and this is another really good example I don't

[00:31:33] know if I would say it's like one of my top tier favorites from her but I think that she is a

[00:31:38] really really good at the same time it also works as a good balance because with Katie O'Brien you

[00:31:44] know especially with her storyline and how it goes it becomes more I wouldn't say over the top

[00:31:50] but more larger than life literally literally larger than life so having that fair share of just

[00:31:59] the grounded nature of Stuart's performance and then Katie O'Brien especially when it comes to

[00:32:03] like the more weightlifting scenes and especially toward the end with the shows and how the everything

[00:32:08] plays out it works so well it never feels like it's uneven between the two of them I think the

[00:32:14] thing too about Katie O'Brien in this too is that I am vaguely familiar with her work in Mandalorian

[00:32:24] MCU but to me this is like a true breakout role for her I understand those projects might have

[00:32:31] felt like that maybe to her at the time when she got them especially considering the IP attached

[00:32:36] to them but this here is I think just a great example of merging part to performer where it really

[00:32:44] feels like she was she was essentially like born to play a role like this based on her backstory and

[00:32:53] I really feel that authenticity coming through on the screen and her performance that I think she's

[00:32:58] just such a magnetic captivating presence here and it's something that I really really hope opens up

[00:33:05] even more doors for her than those other projects did where I feel like she's very much overshadowed

[00:33:10] by so many other elements contained within them and here she gets to be more front and center.

[00:33:17] Also what's great about the both of them besides them just being an incredibly attractive couple

[00:33:22] are amazing actors in the film like they kick out the outfits they wear are so good and I know it's

[00:33:27] quite a quote I mean I guess it is period costume because it's in the 80s Jesus 89 yeah yeah

[00:33:33] but like every fit they wear it together it feels so like yeah that's exactly what those characters

[00:33:38] were whether it's Jackie's outfits or even like a lose like shirt she wears for the gym just with

[00:33:45] those jeans like that shirt so cool I can tell you right now a 24 is already probably lined up

[00:33:50] ready to start selling them because I would buy it it looks great as although Ed Harris's fits

[00:33:55] a bit out there especially when he had the ponytail at one point because I was like man where did

[00:34:01] his hair go and then I see the ponytail was like okay oh man we need to bring back the skull it

[00:34:08] you know into uh into modern day fashion do you want to do it? Matt lead the way lead the way

[00:34:14] I'm not pointing the way on that one somebody else can do it but I agree with you it just in

[00:34:22] terms of the style of this movie from its period setting to the soundtrack love the soundtrack

[00:34:27] to this movie okay um I think Clint Menzel is one of those like underrated composers too who adds

[00:34:35] so much atmosphere to all the projects that he's tied to and of course I think about his work with

[00:34:42] Aaronovsky and I think here like this was just such a well tailored project to his strengths as

[00:34:51] a composer oh yeah when I saw Clint Mansell's name pop up I got so excited because I love him I

[00:34:58] love the music that he creates and it is so perfectly suited to this movie you know it gets the

[00:35:06] the particular time and place really right and just as a great mood setter and yeah I loved his

[00:35:12] score as I love most of his scores all right so why don't we go into uh I suppose final thoughts here

[00:35:20] geo why don't we start off a few anything that we didn't mention something you want to reiterate

[00:35:25] hey it's Spanish and it's Raleigh and we're Game Fix where are you gonna get the latest video game

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[00:36:04] loser once too we talk movies comics toys to convince you that everything that we just said is true

[00:36:10] here's Duke Nukem cheers love the calories here no no no no the other line man take it from me Duke Nukem

[00:36:17] either listen to the Game Fix podcast or go fuck yourself I don't really care whoa

[00:36:24] I would like to say that Rose Glass with visual eye as a filmmaker is so astounding and you know

[00:36:31] Ben Ford's minute does the cinematography shoots the shit out of this movie it looks so gorgeous

[00:36:36] like every frame I'm just like yes it just paints that very like you know new Mexico aesthetic and

[00:36:43] whenever it does I think some of the great moments are lose like nightmare sequences

[00:36:49] and it's got like this dark stain like neon red and especially when it's at Harris with the guns

[00:36:56] I got to admit during those moments I almost thought to myself you know how everyone is like always

[00:37:03] going on and on about the 824 aesthetic 24 as a brand in and of itself I'm like oh well there it

[00:37:10] is that's why this is a 24 film now I want to be very very fair that I understand that this is

[00:37:17] a very unfair criticism but there was always just a part of me that was wondering was like was

[00:37:24] this absolutely necessary for telling of the story for it to be shot this way presented this way

[00:37:32] and then I all I could think to myself was this just feels so conveniently tied to other projects

[00:37:38] today 24 puts out that I oh and I know this is not true I want to be very clear I know this

[00:37:43] not true but the fact that it got me thinking was this like a mandate from a 24 or something that

[00:37:48] it needed to have something like this I don't even know why I'm even verbalizing this because I

[00:37:55] know it's not true but it's what my brain was thinking while I was watching it because it did

[00:37:59] feel so kind of it did feel like it clashed a lot with the grounded reality of what was being

[00:38:09] presented to us throughout you know like that's the thing is that there is this clash here and

[00:38:15] that Josh was talking about this before where it feels like this is meant to be a story that is

[00:38:19] like really you know taking place within a reality that we all can understand but then you

[00:38:25] would throw in these psychedelic elements and then the supernatural elements and then the ending

[00:38:29] of course and then I think that's where that clash is just losing people and it made me question

[00:38:36] and wonder was it entirely necessary to answer my own question though I think I've come around

[00:38:45] to realizing the answer is yes because as a what because of what I said before which is this

[00:38:50] this is the stuff that helps to movie stand out you know I actually kind of think it's not necessary

[00:38:56] that being said it's fucking cool and I think the whole movie just emanates the sense of just

[00:39:03] a vibe where you just want to just get in this world and just it's it's it's cool it kicks ass you're

[00:39:07] just watching weights and royates and blood and gore and I think rose glasses like look there's this

[00:39:13] very sweet intimate romance that is the central aspect of this film but also I made a movie that

[00:39:20] is just rocks and I cut and I think I enjoyed it that being said I found that more aligned with

[00:39:28] the style of the film especially than compared to like I'm trying to avoid spoilers there's a

[00:39:33] running sequence towards the end that there's a lot of CG and I felt sure it plays into the more

[00:39:39] fantastical moments but I think there's a sense of body horror that's established you know this is

[00:39:45] of course someone who directed St. Maud and I think whether it's stuff with the jaw or even like

[00:39:52] the larva sequence I felt that played more into quote unquote body horror and not really fantastical

[00:39:59] compared to the ending which is just full blown like felt like a shift of those like kind of

[00:40:06] conflicting ideas but like it still works I don't think it ever took me out to a point where I was

[00:40:10] like it ruined the film for me like I was dialed in I stated like in the beginning of this

[00:40:15] I think this is probably gonna be the coolest movie of the year I think it takes up the mantle

[00:40:19] from the killer last year of just the cool movie of the year and I think that's totally fine I think

[00:40:24] it's an immaculate Lee Wel made by piece I think seeing Chris and Stewart just really go out especially

[00:40:33] alongside Katie O'Brien who you know for a breakthrough performance like this I think you could do

[00:40:39] far worse like she's amazing I mean like Josh I wish there was more ad Harris I think you know

[00:40:44] that whole side piece of like his whole operation until like his whole criminal enterprise and seeing

[00:40:51] like how that life on the range especially with JJ and stuff everything was a bit fascinating they

[00:40:56] kind of do sideline that but like beside that I really enjoyed it I had a great time I honestly

[00:41:02] can see this being like the top 10 favorite movies in my year just because I dug it that much

[00:41:07] all right Josh what about you final thoughts I think the only thing that I would mention at the

[00:41:13] end is probably my favorite or maybe not my favorite I think the funniest line reading for me in

[00:41:20] the movie is a moment between Chris and Stewart and Jenna Malone when she's trying to get some

[00:41:26] information from her and she's like kind of torturing the Jenna Malone character a bit and

[00:41:31] what's the information is given she just yells at her love you sis yes yes so good I had that

[00:41:38] written down those those one of my favorite moments in this entire movie I did really really love

[00:41:44] that moment because it you know you don't need much explanation but it just perfectly captures the

[00:41:49] absurdity of the moment but the seriousness and highlighting what the dynamic is between those two

[00:41:55] and like you don't need much you just need that one line and it was delivered perfectly

[00:42:00] you know one other thing that I will also mention that as much as I did love the the world

[00:42:06] that was being created and and how this movie looked and felt I did have the thought that I usually

[00:42:11] have with a lot of movies that kind of are set in this time period which is sort of like

[00:42:17] why it is set in this time period you know not that everything needs to be justified but oftentimes

[00:42:22] I feel like is this set 1989 for a particular purpose or is it just because we don't like

[00:42:29] you could say cell phones you could say atmosphere you could say I think the reason why is because

[00:42:36] of America's fascination with bodybuilding during this era yeah the whole Arnold Schwarzenegger

[00:42:42] type mindset and just in terms of that and weightlifting I think that aspect that actually makes sense

[00:42:48] there's also the war on drugs yeah and also to an excuse to pick somebody soundtrack choices

[00:42:55] I haven't feel at least period accurate versus nostalgia base I mean it is still in

[00:43:00] nostalgia base being what I mean yeah yeah and I think there are certain things within kind of

[00:43:06] the background like I said the war on drugs that whole you know you hear George Bush talking

[00:43:13] so that very infamous thing of him describing the crack crack cocaine so that that is an element

[00:43:20] within the kind of overall as we said atmosphere that has been created you know it's not like a

[00:43:26] major complaint but every time I do kind of see these movies I think they maybe just don't want to

[00:43:30] deal with modern technology which I understand but you know I think it's a little bit of an arbitrary

[00:43:36] kind of coding to the movie but still one that is effective for what they're trying to create

[00:43:41] I don't disagree but at the same time I do think that not having never lines on modern technology

[00:43:50] does allow for more organic storytelling to emerge from the characters themselves and their own

[00:43:59] intuition and creativity then just relying on the internet to give them answers and I think that

[00:44:07] just is more dramatically compelling to me oh I agree I just I often think that that is that tends

[00:44:13] to be the main motivation for these kinds of movies being set in the past and that's just something

[00:44:20] that I tend to notice whenever I see a movie that is setting like the 80s or 90s it's like because

[00:44:26] like that's a time period where it's you know 30 years ago but aesthetically it doesn't look that much

[00:44:32] different from today it's not like you're really indulging in like yes we mentioned there's fashion

[00:44:37] choices but they're not like you know flamboyant 70s clothing you know what I mean so whenever

[00:44:42] I see these types of movies there is just a thought in my head of like I wonder if they just did

[00:44:46] that because they don't want to deal with the issue of cell phones and how easy that would make some

[00:44:51] of the the problems in the plot go away as I said I'm not saying this to be like oh it's a cheap move

[00:44:58] or ruins the movie or anything like that is just something that I tend to notice with modern movies

[00:45:03] that are set just like 30 years ago it's like maybe that's the reason why they decided to do that

[00:45:08] yeah for my final thoughts here I think this would make a very interesting double watch with drive away

[00:45:15] dolls I understand you're completely different movies but that's I think what it's so fun as a

[00:45:22] double feature I was gonna say real quick I think the film is reminded me of the most well not

[00:45:26] exactly but I think would be a good campaign is actually bones and all oh sure I could see that too

[00:45:32] I mean really any kind of a love road movie right like thumb and Louise or wild at heart yeah

[00:45:40] throw some gore in there perfect perfect day just to watch those I mean it's like it's a lot of

[00:45:45] things right it's a love story it's a revenge story at the end of the day I think what more

[00:45:51] importantly it is for me another then just a piece of entertainment because I was I was very

[00:45:57] entertained by this movie it is I think proof that Rose Glass was not one hit wonder with St.

[00:46:05] Maud and she is the real fucking deal and I am so so pumped to see what she does next is it going

[00:46:14] to be something as dark and compelling as these two films have been is it going to have another

[00:46:20] what the fuck kind of out and nowhere ending as these two movies have had this one a little bit more so

[00:46:26] then St. Maud haunting ending that still to this day has scarred me for life I mean I don't know

[00:46:34] but I'm here for it I am here for it with that said I've really enjoyed this I mentioned earlier

[00:46:41] this is exactly like my kind of movie that I love I love me a good crime film that's dripping

[00:46:46] in atmosphere especially one where mistakes are grounded in some form of reality that is relatable

[00:46:55] even the elements in this where it does veer off the tracks from that a little bit I was still

[00:47:00] locked in every step of the way due to I would I would attribute it to Rose Glass's vision and

[00:47:06] her control of the atmosphere of attention and giving us those moments of cathartic release you

[00:47:12] know I mean there's nothing that sums up the ending of this movie better than Ed Harris looking

[00:47:18] bewilderingly and saying what the fuck so I'm giving this movie a very strong 8 out of 10 I can see how

[00:47:27] for some people they might be a little bit hesitant to go into it for various reasons I can

[00:47:34] imagine them walking out of it and being a little reluctant to loving it because of the directions

[00:47:39] that it takes but I was very much into it every step of the way Giovanni what about you I am also

[00:47:45] very strong 8 out of 10 I would give it a 9 if it wasn't for how the ending plays out in terms

[00:47:51] of how fantastical was not that it completely lost me but it was so close to big and I but I'm

[00:47:57] really strong 8 Josh I'm a little bit lower on it I'm a 7 out of 10 I didn't enjoy it I do have

[00:48:04] to admit though that as the movie went on yeah it did kind of lose me a little bit with kind of not

[00:48:09] really focusing in on those characters as much as I wanted to but I still liked the movie I was

[00:48:13] still engaged by it just not as much as I was towards the end as much as the beginning no Oscar

[00:48:20] potential for love lies bleeding but I wouldn't be surprised if I see Katie O'Brien make a couple

[00:48:27] of breakout performance lists of the end of the year I can see you're get a goffin nomination

[00:48:33] really yeah I could see that I can say I feel like that's a type of performance like like

[00:48:40] a Aubrey Plaza and Emily the criminal type film that gets like a goffin all though although

[00:48:46] for what it comes to Oscars it's not sniffing an Oscar but I will say in a just world that sound

[00:48:50] work should be nominated because it is fantastic like whether it's body parts breaking off or the gun

[00:48:57] shots or muscle fibers tarrigan stretching I thought it's like incredibly immersive for relatively

[00:49:05] small type of film like this to have that great sound work yeah yeah I would like to see smaller

[00:49:11] movies like this get recognized in that area unfortunately it's it won't have the world that we live

[00:49:16] in yeah I'm glad that we're pointing it out at least yeah but got them I can see this being like a

[00:49:21] got them movie yeah we'll see all right well that'll do it for our review of love lies bleeding here

[00:49:27] on the next best picture podcast Josh Parham tell everyone that's listening where to find you

[00:49:31] on the internet you can find me on Twitter and letterbox that J.R. Parham and Giovanni Lago tell

[00:49:37] everyone where they can find you on the internet find me on Twitter at the Giovanni Lago

[00:49:42] you can also find him at the gym from time to time as well people um you could find me at

[00:49:48] next best picture thank you so much everyone for listening to our review of love lies bleeding

[00:49:53] here on the next best picture podcast we are proud to be part of the Evergreen podcast network and

[00:49:58] you can subscribe to us anywhere where you subscribe to podcasts be sure to leave us a review

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[00:50:09] and your support which you can also land on over at patreon for one dollar minimum a month you

[00:50:15] will get some exclusive podcast content from us thank you all so much for listening as always

[00:50:20] and we will see you all next time

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