‘Die My Love’ Review: Jennifer Lawrence Is a Mother Grappling with Postpartum Depression (and Punk-Rock Angst) in Lynne Ramsay’s Showy Mess of a Marital Psychodrama

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In one of the intensely dramatic and overburdened scenes in Lynne Ramsay’s “Die My Love,” Grace (Jennifer Lawrence), who’s grappling with severe mental distress, believed by the film to be postpartum depression but could also be something else, has reached her limit with the noisy dog that Jackson (Robert Pattinson) unexpectedly brought into their rural living situation. They reside in a house inherited from Jackson’s uncle, a property needing significant repairs, which they’ve chosen not to attend to.

In a very intense scene of the movie “Die My Love,” Grace (Jennifer Lawrence), dealing with severe mental issues that might be postpartum depression or something else, is fed up with the barking dog Jackson (Robert Pattinson) recently brought home. They live in a country house inherited from Jackson’s uncle, which needs repairs and they haven’t fixed.

They’ve recently welcomed a charming newborn boy into their lives, but since then, things have been crumbling around them. Their dog, quite frankly, is incessantly barking (it’s the most aggravating dog imaginable). With Grace bringing over a shotgun, she implores Jackson to put an end to the noise by shooting the dog. He responds with disbelief: That’s preposterous! So, in the end, it’s Grace who takes matters into her own hands and pulls the trigger.

Or more casually:

They got a cute baby boy recently, but their lives have been a mess ever since. Their dog won’t stop barking (it’s the most irritating dog on earth). With Grace bringing over a shotgun, she asks Jackson to quiet it down by shooting the dog. He’s taken aback: That’s ridiculous! In the end, it’s Grace who decides to silence the barking herself.

It’s evident she’s facing some issues, but I found myself questioning Jackson’s decision to bring home a dog given his new responsibility – a baby. Or, more importantly, why he seemed so oblivious to Grace’s disinterest in getting a dog. This scenario encapsulates the narrative of “Die My Love,” where Grace exhibits erratic, intense, and puzzling behavior, and Jackson, though understandably troubled by her actions, rarely takes any meaningful steps to assist her. Is he indifferent or merely slow on the uptake? Pattinson delivers a poor portrayal, making Jackson come off as an unhelpful, clueless fellow. “Die My Love” presents us with a scenario of the blind guiding the blind.

As a strong advocate for mental health awareness, I cannot stress enough the importance of shedding light on postpartum depression – a condition that has been hidden in the shadows far too long. Despite advancements, it remains misunderstood, under-treated, and not empathized with as much as it should be. The play “Die My Love” provides a vivid yet puzzling portrayal of what some women may experience during their first months (or even years) of motherhood. It’s a powerful representation that brings attention to the complex emotions and challenges faced by new mothers, helping us better understand this often-misrepresented condition.

In this movie, which is Lynne Ramsay’s first in seven years since “You Were Never Really Here” (2017), we see that Grace and Jackson are portrayed as a reckless punk-rock couple who seem to have no intentions of settling down or becoming responsible adults. The early scenes of the film, filled with excessive drinking and intimacy, strongly suggest this. However, it’s understandable that they continue their lifestyle while raising a child. But there’s an overall lack of indication that either character has any intention of growing up.

The protagonist aspires to be a writer, yet expresses her intention to stop writing once the baby arrives. Their line of work is unclear, but it appears he occasionally works away from home, possibly in travel, while their days primarily consist of leisure time spent in their house. Their lives, much like the movie, lack structure beyond Ramsay’s artistic inclination to escalate Grace’s odd behavior for shock value. This isn’t a film driven by dialogue; instead, it portrays Grace and Jackson as disheartened post-college drifters who had a child due to their frequent sexual encounters, and life circumstances unfolding naturally.

When Grace exhibits behavior that suggests she’s not following the motherly role as expected, the film suggests that both characters may struggle with the parenting role. There’s hardly any instance where they appear to genuinely delight in their son; instead, he seems more like an item they need to manage. While there isn’t a standard formula for how postpartum depression manifests, it can frequently take an internal form.

In contrast to Grace’s hidden struggles with motherhood, her disconnect is boldly manifested in the film. As a director, Ramsay has a knack for poetically capturing moods and frequently incorporates intense scenes and music, reminiscent of Scorsese. Here, our unconventional parents use a turntable, and it’s during Toni Basil’s “Mickey” that the record skips and repeats, causing Grace to exclaim “All right! All right!” before licking the window pane. Ramsay excels at portraying such grand rock ‘n’ roll meltdowns, and later, Grace will shatter through this same window. From the outset, the movie seems to revel in the flamboyant dysfunction of its characters. The film suggests: This could be mental illness…but boy, it sure is cinematic! To some extent, we’re drawn to watch Grace unravel because immersing ourselves in this level of trauma can become an obsession.

In the 1950s, a narrow-minded patriarchal view would have labeled a woman as “irrational” or “overemotional,” even going so far as to call her “hysterical.” However, as our understanding evolves, we can reevaluate and appreciate aspects of the past that once seemed outdated. The idea that a new mother, like Grace in the movie, has every right to feel overwhelmed and emotional during her despair is central to our current perspective. This acceptance, in its own way, represents progress because it acknowledges the challenges of motherhood as well as its joys. After all, the struggles of motherhood can be just as daunting as the rewards.

While “Die My Love” showcases Ramsay’s impressive skillset, it doesn’t delve into the deep emotional experience it presents. Instead, it functions as a thesis film, appearing reckless on the outside but with underlying purpose. I believe this is why Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal seems so intense yet controlled. In “Die My Love,” you sense the intensity of her presence and the relentless nature of her anger. Whether it’s berating an incompetent cashier, behaving like a wild animal, wrecking the restroom, spilling cleaning products everywhere, or violently hitting her head against a mirror, she excels at portraying a reckless character. However, the intensity of her actions leaves us questioning: What is going on?

As a cinema enthusiast, I yearn for this film to provide some sort of resolution. Jackson admits Grace into a mental institution, where she seemingly recovers, manifesting her healing through an unusual enthusiasm for baking cakes and projecting a forced cheerfulness that appears as a satire of the idealized homemaker. However, we, the audience, are not fooled; we’re merely waiting for this façade to crumble. To me, Grace, regardless of whether she’s dealing with postpartum depression or borderline personality disorder, exhibits signs of the latter. But that’s a story for another film. By the time “Die My Love” reaches its fiery, explosive yet somewhat predictable conclusion, you might find yourself longing to watch an entirely different movie.

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2025-05-17 23:47