On Digital

Bleeding Love (15) |Close-Up Film Review

Dir: Emma Westenberg, US, 2023, 96 mins.

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Clara McGregor, Jake Weary

Review by Carlie Newman

While Ewan McGregor who plays the father, and his real-life daughter Clara McGregor, who plays his estranged daughter in the film, obviously have a great chemistry together, the script is not very exciting and the film lacks pace.

The father has a second family but when his daughter – now 20 – takes an overdose of drugs at her home and tries to commit suicide, he rushes to help her.

While his daughter believes that she is going on a road trip to Santa Fe with her father, he has an ulterior motive for the trip. He knows that she is an addict and unsuccessfully trying to kick her drug substance habit so her father (no names are given in the film) hopes that he can get her into a rehabilitation facility and get her clean.

She resists the idea and the two have long discussions together. The film is a kind of road movie with the two McGregors talking together as they drive. When the father’s new wife lets her stepdaughter know what her father’s intentions are, father and daughter argue.  The daughter escapes from the motel where they are staying and goes off with a stranger in his car.

There is a bit of excitement here but on the whole the film has not much energy. There are lots of flashbacks showing the daughter as a young girl (played by  Devyn McDowell).  On the journey there are good views of the passing scenery with lovely sunsets.

The couple work well together but unfortunately the script lets them down just as their trip does.

Bleeding Love will be available on digital 22nd July
 
Pre-order here