Bleeding Love is a 2023 American drama film starring real life father and daughter Ewan McGregor and Clara McGregor. Directed by Emma Westenberg in her feature length debut, it was written by Ruby Caster from an original story by Caster, Clara McGregor and Vera Bulder. It had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2023 under the title You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder, and was released by Vertical Entertainment on February 16, 2024.
| Bleeding Love | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Emma Westenberg |
| Screenplay by | Ruby Caster |
| Story by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Christopher Ripley |
| Edited by | Autumn Dea |
| Music by | Raven Aartsen |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Vertical Entertainment |
Release dates |
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Running time | 102 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Cast
edit- Clara McGregor as Daughter
- Ewan McGregor as Father
- Kim Zimmer as Elsie
- Jake Weary as Kip
- Vera Bulder as Tommy
- Devyn McDowell as Young Daughter
Premise
editA father secretly drives his estranged daughter to rehab after she overdoses, aware that she has inherited his addiction problems, and after he has started a new family elsewhere.[2]
Production
editChristine Vachon produced the film.[3] Clara McGregor produced, as well as wrote the story alongside Ruby Caster and Vera Bulder. The idea for the story drew on aspects of the McGregor's own father-daughter relationship, Ewan McGregor told Deadline Hollywood that the film "can be very meta and still definitely be a work of fiction and not at all biographical... I don't suggest this is autobiographical, but there we were, playing father and daughter and we are that. You can't help but have that be in the room".[4]
Principal photography took place in late 2021 lasting 22 days in New Mexico.[5][4]
Release
editUnder its original title You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder, the film had its premiere at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas on March 11, 2023.[6] [7] In December 2023, Vertical Entertainment acquired distribution rights to the film, now retitled Bleeding Love, and scheduled it for a theatrical release in the United States on February 16, 2024.[8] It was released in the United Kingdom by Icon Film Distribution on March 29, 2024.[1]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 57% of 49 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Bleeding Love benefits from strong interplay between Ewan and Clara McGregor, although their efforts are somewhat undermined by a less than scintillating script."[9] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 40 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[10]
The Observer's Wendy Ide gave it 2/5 stars, writing, "Decent performances from both McGregors can't breathe much spirit (alcoholic or otherwise) into the film's listless and generic screenplay."[11] Kevin Maher of The Times also gave it 2/5 stars, writing, "The relationship dynamics may be inspired by real experiences but they play out on screen as false. There's no dramatic tension, our protagonists whine a lot and they seem, at best, like two solipsistic twits driving around the desert and moaning about parenting."[12]
Tim Grierson of Screen Daily said the McGregors "bring a weathered authenticity to this story", adding, "Director Emma Westenberg has crafted a gentle character study flecked with sorrow and regret but, despite the picture's quietly moving moments, the conventionality of proceedings ultimately overwhelms the script's modest insights. "[13]
References
edit- ^ a b "Bleeding Love (15)". BBFC. February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ James, Caryn (March 11, 2023). "'You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder' Review: Ewan McGregor and Daughter Clara McGregor in an Uneven Parent-Child Drama". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 9, 2023). "SXSW Preview + Hot List: Movies With Ewan McGregor, Sydney Sweeney, Karen Gillan, Anthony Mackie & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ a b Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 11, 2023). "Ewan & Clara McGregor On SXSW Premiere You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder And Working Together In Father-Daughter Road Trip Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ Baldwin, Rosecrans (June 17, 2022). "Ewan McGregor: The Jedi Returns". GQ. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ "Bleeding Love (previously titled You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder)". SXSW. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy (March 10, 2023). "15 acquisition titles to tempt buyers at SXSW 2023". Screen Daily. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (December 7, 2023). "Ewan McGregor-Clara McGregor Road Trip Drama Bleeding Love Sets U.S. Release With Vertical". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ "Bleeding Love". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ "Bleeding Love". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ Ide, Wendy (April 14, 2024). "Bleeding Love review – Ewan and Carla McGregor star in listless father-daughter drama". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ Maher, Kevin (April 11, 2024). "Bleeding Love review — Ewan McGregor and his daughter whine too much". The Times. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "'You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder': SXSW Review". Screen Daily. March 12, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
