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.
For the score, Ramsay recruits Jonny Greenwood for the second time after her 2011 film We Need to Talk About Kevin. Like Joe’s character, the score flits between intense pieces with a strong and consistent beat which are usually played when he is on the job and more natural and flowing pieces which provide a backing track for scenes with Nina and his mother. The track, “Tree Strings”, which is played as Joe buries his mother is such a poignant moment and the music elevates the scene by assisting in his ephiphany to rescue Nina from her kidnappers. Greenwood is more widely known for his collaborations with Paul Thomas Anderson but his scores for both We Need to Talk About Kevin and You Were Never Really Here assist in elevating and excuting Ramsay’s vision to perfection.
