BLEEDING HEART Review — Good Movie, Bad Title

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bhBy Staci Layne Wilson
@StaciWilson

Bleeding Heart is the story of two women who are, as the tagline says, “Tied by blood, and bound by lies.” May (Jessica Biel) is a yoga instructor who runs a business with her subtly controlling boyfriend, Peter (Exie Booker). Shiva (Zosia Mamet) is a prostitute whose overtly controlling boyfriend, Cody (Joe Anderson), is her pimp. Even though they don’t know each other when the story starts, May and Shiva soon share experiences that will connect them together forever.

Written and directed by Diane Bell, Bleeding Heart (terrible title for this, in my opinion) is made up of material that could be construed as sappy – Lifetime Movie fodder, even – but fortunately it’s elevated to a cinematic experience thanks to the talent of the women involved (as well as DP Zak Mulligan, and editor John-Michael Powell) and the interesting handling of familiar subject matter.

Yes, both May and Shiva are kept down by the men in their lives and yes, they both stand up in the end – the symbol of the ultimate bad guy is in the form of Harry Hamlin in a small but effective cameo – but it’s interesting how their revenge is almost delicate. We’ve all become so inured to violent feminine retribution (Everly, Martyrs) it’s refreshing to see a story that’s more about the thoughts, feelings, and actions of those who’ve been backed into corners (which is not to say there isn’t violence in Bleeding Heart; it’s just not gratuitous).

Bleeding Heart is an interesting, well-made movie and you won’t regret watching it, but it is not one that makes a lasting impression. (I look forward to seeing more from Bell as her style solidifies, though.)

Opening December 11

Not Rated
1 Hour 20 Minutes

Get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

BLEEDING HEART Review — Good Movie, Bad Title

 

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Staci Layne Wilson

Staci Layne Wilson is an accomplished writer / director / producer / film critic and the author the bestseller So L.A. - A Hollywood Memoir. Find her on StaciLayneWilson.com

2 Comments

  1. AZGirl on January 11, 2016 at 4:50 pm

    I have to disagree with the reviewer and say I think the title was fitting. But to understand the full meaning of the title, you have to mentally supply a missing word from a common phrase, “Bleeding Heart Liberal”. This social liberalism is at least part of the orientation of the main character. She has lived a relatively safe and sheltered life. She is a yoga teacher. She prays for peace every day and encourages those around her to practice–like Ghandi–a life of ahimsa, or nonviolence.

    Then the protagonist’s relationship with her newly-found sister introduces her to dark elements of life that she has never encountered before. She is at first shocked, but then feels an instinctive need to protect and rescue her sister from her abusive pimp. Instead of a spiritual awakening, she begins to awaken to relationship realities that were not personally real in her life until now. Her newly-discovered emotional attachments and reactions cause her to make choices that society would say are the polar opposite of a bleeding heart liberal.

  2. Rickinator on January 22, 2016 at 6:49 pm

    Maybe it means May’s heart bled for Shiva. She found a powerful bond in her love for her and did anything and everything she could for Shiva, despite putting herself in harm’s way to help the sister she’d newly discovered in her life. By the way, May’s boyfriend and business partner was Dex, played by Edi Gathegi.

    I also look forward to more from Diane Bell, titles notwithstanding.

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