Die My Love
Die My Love
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek
Directed by Lynne Ramsay
Moving from the big city to his family's home in rural Montana, couple Jackson (Robert Pattinson) and Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) see this as a new lease on life, to get back to nature and away from the distractions of the world, focusing on one another. Not too long after moving, Grace gives birth to a baby boy, and at first things seem hunky dory - until Grace starts acting strange, crawling on her hands and knees, erupting in outbusts on a dime, and endangering her life and others. Jackson is struggling with what to do, while his mother Pam (Sissy Spacek) feels more compassion for Grace, but not even she can help Grace when she doesn't know how to get help herself. Feeling unloved she turns to Karl (LaKeith Stanfield) for love, but not even that's enough to save her as she spirals further and further into a depression that threatens to destroy the family she worked so hard to build.
"Die My Love" is based on a novel by Ariana Harwicz and focuses on a woman dealing with her mental issues with her husband and child, and Martin Scorsese sent the novel to Jennifer Lawrence's production company after seeing her in "Mother!" and wanted her to star in the project. She accepted, and the film is directed by Lynne Ramsay, who's no stranger to compelling cinema ("We Need to Talk About Kevin" and "You Were Never Really Here" are two of her recent masterpieces). Adding Robert Pattinson, Sissy Spacek, LaKeith Stanfield and Nick Nolte to the mix makes for a compelling, unforgettable movie that will linger with you after it ends, due to the fierce performances and no-holds-barred nature of the story, told through a first-person perspective in Lawrence's Grace, who maintains the screen from start to finish.
The movie is a deep study on post-partum depression and post-partum psychosis and how it's still a stigma depending on how you handle it. While there's medication, support groups, and a deeper understanding, if someone acts out in a hostile way, they're seen as crazy and incapable of help. This is the tightrope walk Lawrence is forced to partake in for the role of Grace, as she's clearly struggling after giving birth, but her abrasive nature keeps people (especially her boyfriend) at arms' length, unable to help. Lawrence has always been a fearless actress, but here she is fully capable to let loose and transform herself into an almost-earthly being. We see Grace not so much as a person, but a force of chaotic nature that slowly dissolves the character and melds her into the environment around her, as she crawls through the weeds clutching a knife, dumping toiletries on the floor and playing with them, or smashing her head against a mirror. It's a mesmerizing performance and easily the best of her career.
Not to be shut out, Robert Pattinson is equally as fearless as J-Law, tackling independent films like "The Lighthouse," "High Life," and "Good Time" with fearless abandon, and while he's not the star of the show, he equally has a deep character development in the movie. At first a goofy, loving boyfriend, Jackson deteriorates with Grace as he fails to understand where she's coming from, and the two come to verbal blows more often than not. He loses himself in the role as well, and makes for perfect fodder for Lawrence. These two need to be in more movies together.
The visual aspect of the film is unique in that it's shot with 35mm film and a smaller aspect ratio, much like with Robert Eggers' "The Lighthouse" which gives a more confined, more claustrophobic feel especially watching it on the big screen. There's not a lot of places where your eyes can avert themselves from the mental carnage taking place, and you're stuck with Grace and Jackson as they traverse the world of mental illness together. Ramsay holds no punches in the story, and Lawrence equally does so with her performance - it's one you'll remember, and have deep discussions about afterward.
The Score: A+
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