Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer-director Rose Glass was delayed almost two years due to COVID, but when SAINT MAUD hit in 2021, we knew immediately she was a filmmaker to watch. Along comes her second feature, co-written with Weronika Tofilska, and as a rare lesbian neo-noir, it's sexy and violent and stylishly filmed ... confirming Glass as one to follow. To ensure that every viewer knows that glitz and glamour will not be featured, we are introduced to Lou (Kisten Stewart) as her gloved hand is elbow deep in a clogged toilet at the gym she manages. The gym is filled with sweaty bodies pumping iron, and Lou looks on mostly disinterested, save for gym rat Daisy (Anna Baryshnikov, Misha's daughter) who is obsessed with Lou thanks to their previous amorous interactions. Though Daisy is smitten, Lou is clearly disinterested, while being as nice as possible. As one lonely heart looking for love, Lou's eyes light up when she spots drifter Jackie (Katy O'Brian, "The Mandalorian") working out one evening. Jackie is making her way to Las Vegas to compete in a bodybuilding competition, and she and Lou hit it off that first night. The film is set in the late 1980's in some nowhere town in New Mexico, where nefarious doings are the only path to survival. In fact, the most nefarious of the bunch is Lou's father, Lou Sr (Ed Harris). Sporting shoulder length hair that gives him a "Tales from the Crypt" aura, Lou Sr runs a shooting range, while also running guns across the border, and in an unusual choice for a hobby, he collects live bugs. As the local crime lord, Lou Sr has a favorite spot for dumping the bodies of those who cross him. One other local scumbag on display here is JJ (Dave Franco), husband to Lou's sister Beth (the great Jena Malone). JJ is a world class wife-beater and the source of much angst for Lou ... this despite Beth's constant willingness to forgive her husband, due to her fear of being alone. JJ is the lowest form of life, and when he puts Beth in the hospital, it sends Lou into emotional turmoil, which in turn forces her new lover Jackie to turn She-Hulk, and flash the dark side from her past. Just about anything that can go wrong for these folks, does. It's an endless stream of bad luck, bad decisions, and just plain bad; however, it's mesmerizing to watch. We see a four-way battle: guns versus muscles versus love versus inner-strength. Some characters get what they deserve, while others just wallow in the mess. Daisy shows she is not as ditzy as she seems once she gains leverage, yet she also proves she's not as clever as she thinks. The performances here are quite fun to watch - Stewart, (especially) O'Brian, Harris, Baryshnikov, and Malone are all superb, and bring heft to an already creative and heavy-duty story. The score from Clint Mansell is a perfect fit, and Rose Glass's film bears a slight tonal resemblance to the Coen Brothers' classic BLOOD SIMPLE (1984). As in that one, the characters here often zig when we assume they will zag, and though the final act likely jumps the shark for some viewers, there is so much good here, that it prepares us for Glass's future visions. In theaters beginning March 15, 2024.

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