‘Die My Love’ Review: Jennifer Lawrence Goes Feral on Robert Pattinson

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Lynne Ramsay’s films are remarkable because she makes even the most difficult characters feel captivating. While her work is often bleak and her characters face overwhelming hardship, this is precisely what makes them so engaging. Her short film, Die My Love, immediately pulls you in with a woman whose actions are utterly inexplicable.

Inspired by Ariana Harwicz’s novel Matate Amor and adapted by Ramsay with playwrights Alice Birch and Enda Walsh, Die My Love follows Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) and Jackson (Robert Pattinson) as they seek a peaceful life in Montana, moving into Jackson’s late uncle’s house. Grace focuses on raising their newborn, which unintentionally stifles her writing, while Jackson leaves her alone for long stretches to go to work. Isolated and with limited contact – mainly with Jackson’s family and a few strangers – Grace’s mental health declines. Or perhaps, it was fragile to begin with.

Ramsay deliberately makes Grace a mysterious character, avoiding easy explanations for her actions. While many films directly address postpartum depression and its effects, Ramsay resists this approach, suggesting Grace’s behavior has always been unusual. The film uses flashbacks to add layers to her personality, rather than clarify it. The few weak moments in Die My Love occur when it tries to explain Grace – for example, a scene where she talks to a psychiatrist feels unnecessary, as the ambiguity surrounding her is actually a key part of what makes her compelling.

Jennifer Lawrence’s performance fits this pattern, avoiding the usual attempts to make the character likable and instead embracing a detached, almost unsettling quality – a trait common in Lynne Ramsay’s work and the actors she directs. Many similar films fail by trying too hard to justify their characters’ actions or simply focusing on shocking events. Ramsay’s films do something different, creating a mysterious quality that some might find frustrating, but I find completely captivating.


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When discussing Die My Love, the central focus should be on the character of Grace. While the supporting actors, like Sissy Spacek as her mother-in-law – a complex figure offering both support and judgment – are compelling, they ultimately highlight how different Grace is from ordinary people. The film’s visual style, especially the dark and moody night scenes shot by Seamus McGarvey, seems deliberately designed to distance Grace from reality, creating a ghostly and unsettling atmosphere.

Jennifer Lawrence portrays Grace as wild and unpredictable, like a feral cat. It’s not just her threatening movements, but the fact that any attempt to tame her feels deeply disturbing. Her spitefulness, gut reactions, and sharp humor all contribute to this animalistic portrayal. A particularly unsettling scene shows Grace briefly acting like a stereotypical housewife, set to Elvis’ “Love Me Tender” as a sarcastic joke – it’s more unnerving than any of her self-destructive or violent behavior. Her volatile nature is often both funny and sad, and likely frustrating to watch. Robert Pattinson’s performance is a good match, with both actors playing into their most childish impulses – the film even subtly suggests he’s like a dog. While these performances are over-the-top and immature, they fit with director Lynne Ramsay’s previous work featuring similarly impulsive characters, most notably in Morvern Callar.

In Die My Love, everything feels deliberately designed to torment Grace, from the unsettling, nearly empty house to the immersive and disturbing sound design. The environment constantly feels unsafe, mirroring the weight of her struggles through the film’s striking visuals. Like the lyrics of a song might say, this place isn’t a home. The noises of the nearby forest, a relentlessly barking dog, and even a seemingly innocent song from Bambi (“Little April Shower”) all combine to create inescapable suffering. Even her attempts to escape through fantasy are ultimately metaphors for her apathy and anger, though these sequences aren’t always successful.

Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love isn’t a movie driven by story or even complete clarity. Instead, it deeply explores the difficulties people have connecting with one another. Its directness, including the repeated use of John Prine’s song, is intentional – it highlights how strangely these characters behave. Some viewers may find it too unsettling or hard to relate to, but those who embrace the film’s unique style will find a dark, humorous, and surprisingly beautiful experience that stays with them long after it ends.

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2025-11-07 20:05