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Die My Love (2025)

Die My Love is the latest offering from the incredible Lynne Ramsay. Coming almost a decade after her previous film, You Were Never Really Here, Die My Love follows doomed lovers, Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) and Jackson (Robert Pattinson) as they navigate parenthood in their new home. The film blurs the line between reality and the darkness that Grace begins to experience as she struggles with the pressures of being a new mother.

What makes Lynne Ramsay an excellent director is the fearlessness in her approach. Her films utilise morally ambiguous protagonists in a bid to discuss a larger and more universal topic which in Die My Love is postnatal depression and the pressures placed on mothers. As ever, the direction is striking as Ramsay uses the house as a metaphor for Grace’s state of mind. The opening scenes show the house empty but filled with potential and excitement as Grace and Jackson dance and goof around. Soon enough following the birth of their baby, the house becomes cluttered and dark to the point where it is completely unrecognisable. We see her try to keep herself under control while using the neighbouring woods as an outlet for her animalistic movements. However, the scene where Grace loses control and suffers a breakdown in the bathroom is extremely harrowing as she does significant damage to herself and the home in such a tiny enclosed space.

Jennifer Lawrence is electric in her turn as Grace, giving a phenomenal performance that is reminiscent of mother! in its darkness and grit. Lawrence is in a new phase of her career with complete control over her roles while also adding producer to her resume. If mother! showed a woman struggling to maintain order in a world that actively works against her then Die My Love is the result of that woman endlessly fighting against the judgement of those around her. This performance feels personal and has a rawness that only works thanks to Lawrence throwing herself into the role with everything she’s got. Grace is a character that pushes Lawrence beyond any other performance she has done and while there are some great physical moments that showcase Lawrence’s range, the scenes where she is able to convey her struggles subtly are the most heartbreaking. The scene where Grace and Jackson go to a friend’s house and Grace feels judged by the other mums. There is a fire and sorrow in her eyes that is so poignant that you feel her mind spiraling as she is triggered.

Robert Pattinson has such an eccentric filmography and that shows no sign of stopping any time soon. While the film is undeniably Lawrence’s, he still holds his own as Jackson. Grace’s struggles are front and centre to the film, but in the background we have Jackson who is grieving the recent loss of his father while also adjusting to his new role as father to his son and the pressures of being the sole moneymaker in the household. His attempts to make life better and more “normal” such as buying a dog may seem well-intended but in not warning Grace and refusing to help with the dog’s training, the sentiment doesn’t translate. In trying to create a façade of a nuclear American family, Jackson forces Grace to adhere to stereotypical traditional tropes, which is something that no woman can truly meet in this day and age.

Sissy Spacek rejects the bitchy mother-in-law tropes too frequently seen. Her performance as Jackson’s mother, Pam, is small but mighty, serving as an ally for Grace. Where other filmmakers would craft a character that is “out to get” Grace, Pam is understanding and concerned. She understands firsthand what Grace is going through in a way Jackson can’t because she too has suffered from the same pressures of motherhood. There’s a melancholy in Spacek’s performance as she is unable to stop Grace’s suffering, even when giving her the knowledge from hindsight.

Seamus McGarvey’s cinematography plays a big part in encapsulating Grace’s slip from reality as her depression and hopelessness builds. McGarvey uses open spaces to highlight the terror in the unknown. The most heartbreaking moments in the film come when the camera lingers on Grace’s face a little too long where we begin to feel her discomfort and misplacement. There is also a powerlessness as the camera sits almost at a distance like an observer, unable to intervene and make things better. This adds to the frustration that the characters feel as they succumb to their struggles.

While Die My Love is not an easy watch in any way, it’s unflinching look into postnatal depression and the realities of motherhood will undoubtedly leave its mark on you. Lawrence delivers a career-best performance that feels raw and fearless, making Grace not only a fully-rounded character, but one of the most “human” characters put to screen. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another decade for Ramsay’s next film because her strength to explore these issues in such an artistic and complex way creates some of the best characters we have seen in cinema.

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Top 5 Jennifer Lawrence Performances

Jennifer Lawrence is an actress whose star has risen exponentially since her breakthrough performance in Winter’s Bone in 2010. What has made Lawrence such a success both commercially and critically is her versatility and willingness to push herself by exploring different genres and refusing to be typecast. Her incredibly successful career has seen her nominated for 4 Oscars, winning one for Silver Linings Playbook in 2013, making her the second-youngest recipient of the Best Leading Actress award in Oscar history. After taking a short break between 2018 and 2021, she returned in one of the leading roles in Adam McKay’s star-studded black comedy, Don’t Look Up, starring alongside the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep and Jonah Hill to name a few.

As with any top 5 list, it’s always incredibly difficult to narrow it down, especially when discussing someone as diverse and charismatic as Lawrence because there are so many performances to consider. However, this list demonstrates her range and her ability to bring out the strengths and flaws of her character. From leading action franchises to complex dramatic character studies and everything in between, Lawrence has shown so much in her 15-year career and it’s exciting to see where her career will take her in the future now that she has returned from taking a well-deserved short break.

Here are my top 5 performances by Jennifer Lawrence in chronological order:

Winter’s Bone (2010)

Lawrence’s breakthrough came in 2010 when she starred in the independent film, Winter’s Bone. The film follows 17-year-old Ree (Lawrence) who is the main caregiver for her mentally ill mother (Valerie Richards) and also looks after her younger siblings by teaching them how to fend for themselves in the Ozark Mountain wilderness. Winter’s Bone is magical to watch because Lawrence is so magnetic and charismatic that her impending rise to stardom was inevitable. The film is regarded as one of the biggest indie successes as it was made on a $2 million budget and made over $16 million in the box office, resulting in a slew of Oscar nominations, including Lawrence’s first nomination for Best Leading Actor. Even though she didn’t win, she was constantly viewed as one to watch, and with the upcoming Hunger Games due to be released, Winter’s Bone is an excellent beginning for what can only be described as an incredible career.

Silver Linings Playbook (2013)

The film that won Lawrence her Oscar and cemented her place as a Hollywood staple was Silver Linings Playbook. Marking the first of three collaborations with David O’Russell as well as the first of six collaborations with co-star Bradley Cooper, Lawrence plays Tiffany, a widow who struggles with her mental health following the death of her husband and finds herself unemployed after sleeping with everyone in her office. Silver Linings Playbook is one of the best films when it comes to discussing mental health and this is thanks to the nuanced performances by Lawrence and Cooper, whose character Pat has been diagnosed with bipolar. What makes this performance special and incredible is considering how young Lawrence was when the film was made and released as the character of Tiffany was 40 in the book but was re-written to be younger to suit Lawrence’s age. Despite this age difference, Lawrence still provides the depth to the character and while the specific nature of Tiffany’s diagnosis is not discussed in the film, Lawrence’s nuanced performance shines through and we still emote and feel Tiffany’s struggles.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

One of the roles that helped Lawrence make her mark in Hollywood was her turn as protagonist Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise. The series follows Katniss, a young woman who finds herself in the deadly titular games in which competitors have to fight to the death in a bid to be the last one standing. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is one of those rare occurrences where the sequel is better than the original and this is partially thanks to Lawrence’s impeccable performance. This isn’t to say that Lawrence’s performance is anything less than brilliant in The Hunger Games, but there is a maturity and nuance that she provides in Catching Fire that could arguably be thanks to the vast experience that she gained between the films. Catching Fire is the strongest book in the series and the film is no exception as we see Katniss conflicted between her role as provider for her family and helping lift her family from the poverty line and her position as the face of the rebellion against the evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland). The opening scene in which she encounters President Snow in District 12 and is threatened is one of the most intense scenes in any young adult adaptation. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire isn’t afraid of exploring more complicated themes such as loss, grief, and internal conflict and Lawrence truly becomes Katniss in this instalment.

mother! (2017)

Lawrence’s most controversial performance is arguably her best. Playing the titular character, Lawrence’s performance delves deep into the psychological trauma presented in the film as her character’s life begins to fall apart. The film was directed and written by Darren Aronofsky who is known for pushing boundaries and while his previous horror, Black Swan was more vast in its locations and scope, mother! is more contained and is set within the one house, adding to the claustrophobia and entrapment that the character feels. Mother lives with Him (Javier Bardem) in a tale that serves as an allegory for the Bible and as Him gains more followers beginning with man (Ed Harris) and woman (Michelle Pfeiffer), life spirals out of control to the point of tragedy and destruction. mother! received a polarised reception on release and is still discussed to this day thanks to its topical discussions and the extreme violence and chaos that ensues. However, Lawrence’s affecting and provoking performance cannot be denied and will go down as a career best. You can read my full review for mother! here.

Don’t Look Up (2021)

One of the most talked about films of 2021 was Adam McKay’s black comedy Don’t Look Up, which boasted one of the starriest casts in recent years. Led by Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio, Don’t Look Up split opinion with audiences responding more positively than critics. While Don’t Look Up has its flaws, one of its strengths lies in Lawrence’s hilarious performance as she appears to have the best lines and even outperforms DiCaprio (which is never an easy feat). Lawrence plays scientist Kate Dibiasky who discovers the comet that threatens to destroy the Earth within months and provides her signature deadpan humour throughout with the best joke in the film being her confusion over a staff member at the White House charging her for food that is actually free. You can read my full review for Don’t Look Up here.

After taking a break for a few years, it seems as though Lawrence is back and better than ever as she has a slew of projects lined up for the future including Adam McKay’s biopic, Bad Blood, in which she plays the fraudulent businesswoman, Elizabeth Holmes and Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of the novel, Burial Rites, which explores the last woman executed for murder in Iceland to name just a few. Lawrence remains one of the most successful and popular actors in Hollywood regardless of her break, proving just how talented and charismatic she is.

What are your favourite Jennifer Lawrence performances? Let me know in the comments below!

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Don’t Look Up (2021)

Netflix’s Don’t Look Up is one of the most talked about films of recent months thanks to the cast which is packed with A-listers. Adam McKay’s dark comedy follows a research team followed by Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) who discover that a huge comet is heading straight for Earth and will destroy it within a matter of months. Mindy and researcher, Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) head to the White House to convince the President (Meryl Streep) to destroy the comet before it hits the planet. With plenty of storylines and characters, Don’t Look Up is a film that has garnered polarising reviews with some loving the message on climate change while others feel that the execution falls short.

The film is directed and written by Adam McKay, whose previous efforts include 2018’s Vice and 2015’s The Big Short which combine politics and comedy. McKay is interested in recent political events and Don’t Look Up is his take on climate change. What made The Big Short and Vice so effective is that they had a tighter focus on a few characters so the films had a better flow in terms of the writing and direction. Don’t Look Up is a film that is filled with the world’s biggest stars and McKay clearly wants to give everyone a fair share of screentime. Unfortunately, the result of which seems to be a who’s who of Hollywood and the writing is crammed with too many storylines that it seems jilted in structure. It feels like the screenplay needed to go through an extra draft to finesse the story and ensure that the film has a better flow.

Jennifer Lawrence plays researcher, Kate Dibiasky, who is credited with discovering the comet, which is suitably named Dibiasky Comet. Dibiasky appears to be the voice of reason throughout the film although doesn’t have the skills to communicate her view properly which angers the authorities. Lawrence’s performance is perfect as she captures Kate’s feelings of despair and her outspoken nature. It’s great seeing Lawrence and DiCaprio act opposite one another and it feels like Lawrence actually steals the show thanks to the amount of depth that she brings to the performance. Don’t Look Up allows us to see Lawrence in a different kind of comical role that we haven’t seen from her before and she delivers.

In the male leading role is Leonardo DiCaprio who portrays research leader, Dr. Randall Mindy. As always, DiCaprio can be relied upon to give a great performance which he does but it does feel as though his character isn’t given much to play with in the same way that Dibiasky is. There are certain decisions that McKay made for the character which seem a bit confusing such as having Randall embark on an affair with news reporter, Brie (Cate Blanchett) which doesn’t add a lot to the overall plot while taking up a lot of time. What is confusing about this development is that it contrasts to everything else we learn about Randall and the way he lives his life. His affair seems to show that he is just as bad and sleazy as the authorities who want to mine the comet for minerals. Despite this, DiCaprio does a great job with what he’s given.

The supporting cast is absolutely huge and is led by none other than Meryl Streep and Jonah Hill as President Janie Orlean and her son, Jason Orlean, who is also Chief of Staff, respectively. Having Streep playing a President was bound to happen sooner or later, but rather than be a reliable source of wisdom and leadership, Janie Orlean is manipulative and power and money-hungry, seeing the comet as a money-making opportunity rather than a threat. Jason also proves himself to be extremely under-qualified for his role and has clearly gotten to where he is thanks to nepotism. The role of Janie Orlean feels a bit underwhelming in terms of development, which is a shame when you have Meryl Streep in the role while Jonah Hill is clearly given the chance to improvise and do what his does best – insult people within an inch of their lives in a hilarious way.

Don’t Look Up is a film that wears its message on its sleeve, but the execution falls a bit short due to the screenplay, which tends to flit around a lot. McKay has proven that he can work with an ensemble task and has even won an Oscar for his screenplay for The Big Short, but the magic he creates blending comedy and politics seems a bit lost amongst all the characters. It feels as though some storylines don’t blend well with each other, which may be the reason it has had such polarising opinions. This isn’t to say that Don’t Look Up is a film without its positives, however, as Jennifer Lawrence provides an excellent performance and Jonah Hill is a comedic standout in a role that feels like a classic Hill performance but it’s a film that should have been more consistent in it’s storytelling.

What did you think of Don’t Look Up? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Don’t Look Up is available to watch on Netflix now!

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mother! (2017)

This is a film that you will either love or hate. There really isn’t an in between on this one. Darren Aronofsky’s mother! is a biblical retelling through the unconventional setting of a home as the sole location. Featuring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as mother and Him, a married couple who live in a huge house built by the former while the latter works on his writing. mother is decorating the home and longs for a family but this is refused by Him, who is consumed by his own work to care about what mother wants. Compared to previous offerings by Aronofsky such as Black Swan, mother! is a literally and figuratively contained film. At no point do we lose sight of mother as we follow her perspective as chaos ensues. At first, the house seems open and spacious but this quickly shifts to a claustrophobic palace of mayhem as mother’s space is literally invaded by outsiders. When mother falls pregnant, she is forced to endure the increasing attention for her husband and the exposure that leaves no stone unturned in the house.

Directed and written by Aronofsky, mother! is a film that plays out like a mystery. Because we don’t see the outside world, we don’t know what or who will come next. This makes it one of the most shocking films to watch, especially when the first casualty plays out. Definitely one of the best filmmakers today, Aronofsky leaves the meaning of the film and his own intention to the imagination of the author. One can watch it from religious, feminist and even mental health angles. It’s a film that is left wide open for interpretation. There is a clear argument for the conflict between mankind and nature. The brutality and expressionist approach to the film can make it uncomfortable for viewers which is probably why it split critics and audiences alike. However, I was one of the viewers who was left in awe from the brilliance in every aspect.

Jennifer Lawrence draws out a brilliantly and fully dramatic performance that we haven’t seen since Winter’s Bone. In between the aforementioned and mother! there was an increased focus on characters with a comedic side with Lawrence starring in dark comedy-dramas as well as protagonist Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games franchise. It’s a performance that demands a lot on expression and physicality as mother is a character of few words. We see her initial comfort turn into catastrophe and panic as more and more people invade the house and ruin what she has built. Javier Bardem is yet again fantastic as the villainous Him. He is perfect at playing such a manipulative character whose motivations are inspired only by himself for himself. Him is careless and seemingly the reasonable one but even as he loses control, he cannot let go of the admiration of the visitors. Their love for him is more important than the love given to him by mother.

The supporting cast is led by Michelle Pfeiffer and Ed Harris as woman and man, respectively, who both pull off menacing performances as the initial outsiders who enter the house. Immediately, mother is discomforted and disturbed by their visit and Him’s insistence that they stay for as long as they like. Pfeiffer particularly is so magnetic and draws in a deeply sexual performance that equally disgusts and intrigues mother, who is puzzled by their lax attitude towards sex and openness in conversation. As mother observes, we see woman and man worship Him whilst simultaneously break house rules and venture where they shouldn’t.

There are so many scenes worth delving into but none left me speechless in the way that the shot following mother as the house descends into chaos did. Each room has a different form of punishment with herod (Kristen Wiig) shooting people in one and a SWAT team bursting through the windows and beating people up. Despite the increasing tension, the bloody violence still comes across as shocking and unexpected. Equally as heartbreaking is the scene that follows after mother gives birth. As we witness her descent into madness and the end product that the destruction has had on the house, the realisation that there is no way to repair what has happened is still heartbreaking. It’s a film that knows its pace and doesn’t desire to fit into the mainstream.

Overall, mother! is a film that allows Aronofsky to be experimental and reject the basic beginning, middle, end linear structure with a clear plot. I think it is a film that shows Aronofsky at his best. He has always been great at developing complex female characters with an expressionist approach to direction. He has a classical eye when it comes to inspiration and is inspired by music, art, ballet, film. He is brilliant at finding beauty in the ugly and drawing that out, contrasting what we are seeing with new ideas. This is evident in mother! as the mere inspiration and idea of seeing the Holy text contrast with the horrific events is something that hasn’t been done before.

What do you think of mother!? Let me know in the comments below!

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“I have nothing left to give”: Anxiety in mother! and Midsommar

As I have discussed in a previous post, horror seems to the genre that directors are turning to to discuss important issues that may be seen as taboo. One topic in particular is mental health and in particular, anxiety, has be woven into the genre but in a way where it is more than a character worrying about monsters. Darren Aronofsky’s 2017 mother! and Ari Aster’s summer smash Midsommar both explore anxiety through the eyes of a female protagonist thrust into the centre and horror of a cult. They have a lot of similar traits but are shown in completely different ways. Both protagonists are 20-something white women in volatile relationships who are trying to create homes for themselves and find their purpose.

Both films are essentially about place and belonging. Home is integral and is the (literally in mother!) heart of the story. This is more explicitly so in mother! as we see the titular character (Jennifer Lawrence) renovating her house right before it descends into chaos at the hands of her husband, Him (Javier Bardem). Aronofsky’s brilliance as a director shines in this film as we never leave mother’s side. The house becomes a metaphor for mother and the anxiety that she feels is felt by the house itself. As the camera follows her, we get a literal female gaze of her home from being a place that she has literally and figuratively built to the remnants as it bursts into flames and destruction. mother’s anxiety comes from the claustrophobic portrayal as the home becomes increasingly invaded. It’s a heavy film that builds all of its emotion like the foundations of the house. We never leave the house because mother never leaves the house. She is physically and emotionally trapped by the relationship she is in. Building and renovating the house gives a false sense of control but Him has been pulling the strings the entire time. When she falls pregnant and becomes increasingly stressed, the shots become longer and strained. The film is an unflinching look at the invasive nature of anxiety and the struggle that it brings. It’s a not-so-subtle allegory for the Bible but it elevates this experience and becomes an unhinged tale of manipulation and control resulting in a climax that spirals out of Him’s control and becomes bigger than the vision he planned. This is due, in part, to mother’s reluctance to go along with his plans and the insistence she has on keeping her baby to herself. She is the closest creation he has to perfect, but in the end it isn’t enough. Her fears are realised and much like the house, she succumbs to the loss.

Midsommar by comparison is a much more straightforward film. The second feature by Ari Aster (full review can be read here), has a simple linear beginning, middle, end but that is where the simplicity ends. Following Dani (Florence Pugh) as she ventures to Sweden with her estranged boyfriend, Christian (Jack Reynor) and his friends to partake in a Commune’s ceremony, Midsommar also provides an unflinching portrayal of anxiety through its protagonist. Damaged by the tragic loss of her family, Dani’s life is forced to a standstill as her boyfriend becomes emotionally distant and she becomes more isolated. After he reluctantly offers her a space on their trip to Sweden, Dani accepts in the hope of finding adventure and distraction from her life. Unlike mother!, Dani’s anxiety was already ingrained as her sister’s bipolar grew more severe as time went on. Her opening scene sees her debate whether to actively respond to her sister’s troubling emails which in turn then results in the tragic murder/suicide of her sister and parents. If mother! showed an implosion of anxiety, Midsommar is an explosion. Dani’s anxiety gradually blooms during her time in the commune as she embraces the traditions unlike Christian and the others. In a similar way to mother!, the camera shakes with the anxiety as Dani experiences her panic attacks. When she is in the Commune, her anxiety is sympathised with in a way that seems alien to her. She becomes comfortable and relaxed in a way that we do not see beforehand. Much like the mural that is presented at the start, Dani’s journey is like the seasons as we start in the harsh winter in America to the open Spring in Sweden. Using pathetic fallacy may seem on the nose and perhaps it is, but in this film it enhances the experience and adds texture. The environment becomes reflective of Dani’s experience. The drug trips are a great example. When she takes drugs at the Commune entrance with Christian, she experiences a bad trip paralleling her confusion and alienation from the others. Compare this to the dance competition later on where she becomes open among the other women and begins speaking Swedish shows a completely different person.

It’s no surprise that we are seeing an increase in films that explore mental health so explicitly. With more people being open about their experiences, it has become an important talking point and naturally films become reflective and reactive to the social climate. Films like mother! and Midsommar provide a different perspective by adding those horror elements and unflinching narrative. The results are, ironically, a realistic portrayal of the inner struggle of anxiety by turning the characters inside out, their emotions become the visual canvas for the films. By no means am I suggesting that mental health has never been explored in films but it’s interesting to see it being explored in such a unique way that doesn’t see the protagonist immediately thrown into a psychiatric unit. The characters of mother and Dani are deeply complex. They have their own needs and desires and struggle with remaining an outsider to their peers. mother! shows a failed attempt whereas Midsommar goes down a route that is more successful but not in a way that would be deemed acceptable by those who did isolate her in America.

Both directors also wrote the scripts and their visions show a consistency with their own portfolios. Aronofosky is more experience and tends to write from the perspective of the outsider striving for success whereas Aster’s debut Hereditary follows a female protagonist who struggles to feel motivated when she emotionally finds herself spiralling downwards in a similar way to Dani. Both scripts are claustrophobic with Aronofsky opting to create a claustrophobic setting with an isolated cast. Even their names are unknown as they become known by their societal expectation whereas the characters in Midsommar are assigned their societal roles by the Commune at the end of the ceremony.

In conclusion, it’s clear that these are films that have a lot to say about society as a whole and what really makes an individual an outsider. Can an outsider ever truly fit in? Even then, is fitting in even the best solution? As shown in mother!, fitting in equates to chaos. The Commune in Midsommar hides its unspeakable actions behind the guise of ceremony and Dani becomes accomplice to this by accepting the events that occur. I am interested to see whether both directors further this narrative in future films and to see how mental health is portrayed in films in the future in general in a social climate that is becoming more and more uncertain each day.