Going into this movie, my gut told me it was likely to be an unsettling experience. And it was due to the magnificent suspense in the depths of addiction and abruption. Director Rose Glass adds layers of tension that define the terror of reality in Love Lies Bleeding. I was moved by the film’s bizarre dynamics in which everyone has a strange angle within their characterizations.

The film begins at a gymnasium and focuses on a girl named Lou (played by Kristen Stewart). Lou works as a manager at a run-down gym. She is not friendly or focused on customer service and gets into all kinds of trouble in her spare time. Much of her judgment is based upon her harsh upbringing by her father, Lou Sr. (played by Ed Harris). Lou Sr. owns a gun range and is connected to hidden criminal activities. His history over the years has led to turmoil and an estranged relationship with his daughter. Lou is also a lesbian. During one of Lou’s aggravating shifts, she comes across a bodybuilder named Jackie (played by Katy O’Brian). Lou falls madly in love with Jackie in an instant. Jackie is training for a fitness show in Vegas. Lou finds a way to connect with Jackie by giving her drugs to help buff up her muscles. This lapse in judgment will expose the audience to a world of many dangers.

The film caused me to boggle with many questions. Jackie works for Lou’s father at the gun range, so Lou tries to keep their relationship hidden. Another trouble in Lou’s life involves her sister Beth (played by Jena Malone) and her abusive husband JJ (played by Dave Franco). Lou feels so close with her new-found love Jackie and maintains a close relationship with her sister Beth. However, Lou harbors deep hatred for both JJ and her father. With all the turmoil and drug experimentation,Jackie starts to spiral out of control. While Jackie keeps taking the injections to make her look strong and ferocious for her Vegas show, the drugs also fuel her anger and rage. Jackie’s love for Lou leads her to terrible and unforgivable choices which are so detrimental that Lou’s life of insanity and sadness are thrust into a deeper hole. Jackie’s drug-fueled choices set the wheels in motion for things to go terribly awry in Love Lies Bleeding.

The story is packed with treacherous moments and bad situations. At times due to the drugs, the film starts to feel like a David Lynch experience. Some of the more monstrous scenes are bad news for the audience, but at the same time create an invigorating atmosphere stimulated by all the troubles. I found myself thinking about other films where drug abuse is featured, including The Basketball Diaries and Thirteen. In these movies, youth and drugs do not mix well and eventually boil to a point where a illegal substances become intolerable. In this film, thebehaviors of Lou, Daisy, and Lou Sr. all eventually hit a point of no return. In the end, it is an audacious experience where the artistic value in regret, hate, and redemption are featured in a realistic way. There are times when it was all a bit eerie, but overall it’s worth seeing. Three-and-a-half out of four stars Love Lies Bleeding.