We’ve still got a couple of months before Kristen Stewart’s new movie Love Lies Bleeding hits theaters, but the LGBTQ+ romantic thriller is already making waves. After its trailer dropped, fans expressed their excitement over seeing the Twilight star — who recently explained how the vampire series is queer-coded — in another openly gay role, and since the movie is being produced by A24, anticipation for the bodybuilder thriller is pretty high. Love Lies Bleeding premiered at Sundance Film Festival on January 20, and now we’ve got our first look at the critics’ reactions.
Let’s start with what we know about Love Lies Bleeding. In Rose Glass’ second directorial effort, Kristen Stewart stars as Lou, a gym manager who falls for Katy O’Brian’s Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder. Their love leads them into a world of crime with Lou’s father (also Lou, played by Ed Harris) and revenge. Deadline reports that the film elicited hoots, hollers and cheers from the Sundance audience, as Valerie Complex notes the electric toxicity of the leading couple. The critic writes:
