Love Lies Bleeding is a movie set in 1989 that follows the story of Louise “Lou” Langston, who runs her father’s gym in a forgotten town in New Mexico. Lou has many concerns, starting with her father, Lou Sr., an insect collector who not only owns the gym and a local shooting range but is also involved in multiple criminal enterprises. Lou suspects that her absent mother was a victim of her father’s ruthless nature. Additionally, her homemaker sister Beth is being abused by her husband J.J., and Beth’s increasingly severe injuries are another source of anxiety for the reserved Lou.
Lou’s life changes drastically when Jacqueline “Jackie” Cleaver walks into the gym. Jackie is an openly and proudly bi aspiring bodybuilder who hopes to go to Las Vegas in a few weeks to win a tournament. Lou is immediately drawn to Jackie, and they soon begin a passionate relationship, with Jackie moving into Lou’s apartment. However, their initial happiness is threatened when Jackie starts abusing the steroids Lou provides, leading to episodes of paranoia and bursts of rage.
The movie features bi representation, albeit through a somewhat stereotypical lens, with the character of Jackie. Lou learns about Jackie’s sexual orientation when J.J. reveals that he and Jackie had a sexual encounter on her first day in town. When Lou confronts Jackie and asks if she also has sex with men, Jackie calmly responds that she likes both genders, demonstrating that her sexual preference is not a conflict for her.
The situation becomes critical when Jackie, triggered by a thirst for revenge after seeing Beth in the hospital following a beating by J.J., commits an irreversible act that sets off a series of events, putting everyone in each other's crosshairs.
The representation of bisexuality in the film is authentic and avoids common stereotypes. Jackie is not portrayed as confused or indecisive but as confident in her identity and choices. The movie also avoids the trope of bisexuality being a phase or a source of conflict within the relationship. Instead, it focuses on the external challenges the characters face, allowing Jackie’s bisexuality to be a facet of her character rather than a plot device.