Live, Laugh, Love Lies Bleeding

With the Olympics over, you might be thinking, dang I wish I had more strong women to watch. Well, do I have the movie/super gay head trip for you. I missed out on seeing “Love Lies Bleeding” in the theaters because of some bad timing. But as soon as it began streaming on Max last month, I made sure to watch. And, well, that sure was something.

What I liked about “Love Lies Bleeding” was its approach to its queer characters and queer desire. No need for any “coming out” framing. No earnest struggles with homophobia or self-doubt. Just two women attracted to each other who become the epitome of “Be gay, Do crimes.”

In order to enjoy this film you just need to be prepared for violence and muscles. You also need to brace yourself for a little magical realism. This is less the “Water for Chocolate” whimsical magical realism and more of the queer fantasy magical realism. Either way, it’s trippy and unexpected and weird as hell – but mostly in a good and definitely in a gay way.

And while K-Stew is the marquee name here, Katy O’Brian is the breakout star here. I mean, those muscles alone. *heart eyes emoji forever* I’m surprised between “Love Lies Bleeding” and “Twisters,” that Katy isn’t hanging on a poster in every young lesbian’s wall right now.

While this movie probably won’t go into your feel-good canon of lesbian rom-coms à la “Imagine Me & You” and “But I’m a Cheerleader” or even grand sweeping romances like “Carol” or “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” it deserves its own place in queer pulp history. Back-to-back screening with “Bound?” Now that’s a noir lesbian movie night I can get behind.

So, thoughts? I don’t want to give away the ending too much, because I think you just need to experience it. Buckle up and wear a helmet.