Die My Love

Die, My Love? More like Day, For Night.

I'll give it this. The film taps into something authentic when it comes to looking at the impulsiveness that comes with depression. When it's jarring by showing something destructive happening, you feel it, and it feels real. Also, Jennifer Lawrence is very good, even though she doesn't really have an actual film to work with.

This thing is abysmally written and paced. A good performance and a certain honesty about mental illness - and how it feels - can only take this so far. There are parts of this film where it was almost like someone was trying to kneecap those somewhat redeeming qualities. You can have a film that's unpredictable and that shows a sense of psychological deterioration, but you still need pacing or a sense of momentum/escalation.

Die My Love has none of that, and whatever it's trying to be beyond a depiction of depression (and it is trying to be other things; it has to, with a runtime of about two hours), it fails. There's a randomness that doesn't feel clever or particularly purposeful; more just lazy. But I also thought Lynne Ramsay's previous film, You Were Never Really Here, was smug and kind of frustrating, so take my take with a decent amount of salt (We Need to Talk About Kevin was good, though).

'Die My Love' is an emotionally charged tale that follows a woman's slow descent into postpartum psychosis. Lawrence plays Grace, a new mother and writer, while Robert Pattinson co-stars as Jackson, Grace's partner. The movie is based on Ariana Harwicz's novel of the same name.

As well as being unconventional, this movie is a slow burn. There are long periods of tedium, punctuated by moments of deep intensity that literally shock the viewer into a sudden state of alertness. This is part of what makes 'Die My Love' work so well. I say this because there are times where, as a viewer, you almost get lulled into a false sense of security. But before you can get too comfortable, the plot takes an unexpected turn, and you quickly become engaged with the story again. Black humour is also used selectively to break the tension, which works well.

The overall mood of the film is one of mystery and unease. Being set in rural Montana adds to the mystery. A lot of the scenes occur in the family home Grace and Jackson share. That the house is in the middle of nowhere adds to Grace's sense of isolation, which only serves to compound her psychosis. Having the bulk of the scenes in the family home creates a sense of immediacy and also provides a solid foundation for the story. It also provides context for other scenes in the film.

One thing I liked about the story is that sometimes you aren't always sure what's real and what's only happening in Grace's mind. This added an element of mystery that I found compelling. And while it made the plot complicated, it was authentic. Madness is not linear, so it makes sense for the film to portray madness in a non-linear fashion.

Thanks to the direction of Lynne Ramsey, the viewer gets a harrowing window into what it's like to experience postpartum psychosis. The editing has also been done well too. With a plot that jumps around quite a bit, the different elements of the story are weaved together skilfully.

Lawrence plays her role with nuance and a raw intensity. One minute she is glassy eyed and looking off into nowhere. The next she is apparently lucid and calm, or is otherwise oblivious to her surroundings and the chaos and confusion for which she is responsible.

Pattinson delivers a compelling performance as a partner doing his best to make what he has with Grace and their child work.

Together, Pattinson's and Lawrence's performances combine to highlight the inner workings of a relationship that, while not loveless, is truly dysfunctional.

There's a great supporting cast too. Sissy Spacek plays the role of Jackson's Mum, Pam. While Pam appears well intentioned, ultimately, she isn't really sure what to do. Then there is Nick Nolte who plays Harry. Nolte does well in his nuanced portrayal of an old man who, despite his confusion, still has feelings he wants to express.

The film also features a really good soundtrack with a wide variety of music, including some heavy rock and industrial tunes. There are also some more upbeat tracks like 'Hey Mickey', which adds a moment of humour. Also in the mix are some acoustic numbers. The heavy numbers meld perfectly with the chaotic events occurring on screen, while the acoustic songs help to slow the pace. They also bring an element of melancholy to the story.

The cinematography has been done well too, with several scenes taking place at night, as well as others that occur at low light. This helps to create the film's dark mood and also heightens the sense of loneliness Grace is experiencing. There are also some great scenes shot in a field of tall grass that, while elegantly simple, also show the emotions Grace and Jackson are going through.

Another thing I really liked about the film was its use of symbolism to explore the theme of letting go of one's past. That this theme is communicated symbolically through visual effects - rather than through dialogue - is much more powerful. It also provides the story with a lot more depth.

I also liked the character development that came through in Pattinson's and Lawrence's performances. Despite many difficult situations and some really intense moments their characters share, I felt a degree of empathy for both of them.

Part dark psychological thriller, part black comedy, 'Die My Love' is a unique story that in some ways is elegantly simple, yet also uniquely complex. Pattinson and Lawrence deliver stellar performances, with Pattinson doing a fantastic job of portraying a frustrated partner who, despite everything, still cares about his family.

Then there is Lawrence, who continues to showcase her diverse range. She can do it all. From playing characters like the ballerina turned spy in 'Red Sparrow', to a down on her luck uber driver struggling to pay her property taxes in 'No Hard Feelings', Lawrence demonstrates her ability to work across genres with great skill. She was also one of the producers on this film, so is clearly multi-talented.

I've watched this movie alone in cinema. I'm not expecting anything at all. But the movie delivered interesting plot and great acting from lead but it quite not brought that exciting part I kind of thought it needed. It was really cinematic but not engaging. I don't know but critic's review is somewhat different to public viewing's opinion about it. I managed to finish the movie and not leaving even though some viewers at the cinema already left just not half of the movie was over. But the movie for me, tackled depression and the state of coping about loss. It was average, but not for me on the first watch. Maybe on the second watch it'll grow and will also unravel some keys to my questions but indeed this movie is really not for everyone.

Its truly a sad story about postpartum. Its something that isn't talked about enough and does happen. This was on the deep end of the pool in my opinion and the whole movie is just weird, depression or not. Too much went into the shots that it kinda took away from the story a bit in my opinion. Thats weird for me to say because I normally love that. Throwing in the dog and the disrespect from the husband didn't help add to her postpartum depression, of course she was. Why was that never focused on? Overall this sad movie was good catching emotions and the pain. It just wasn't for me and the movie felt long.

Watched at AMC with Heather on 11-9-2025.

I just couldn't enjoy this film. I found the flick to be pretentious and the story jumps the gun far too often for the plot to hold any weight from the message being conveyed.

Yes, the film has some gorgeous cinematography and the acting is great, but that is about where the good stops for this one. The story goes absolutely nowhere. In about the last quarter of the film, I had felt like I finally got a grip on what Jennifer Lawrence's character was going through and why she kept doing these crazy things to herself, and I had thought, what a perfect way to end this film. Then it continued for another 25 minutes and lost me again with the meaning behind the film. It was as frustrating as seeing Lawrence's pregnant belly shrink and unshrink throughout the film, at intervals that make no sense.

The best part of the film is easily Jennifer Lawrence's acting. She was what made the film, at least somewhat, entertaining. Not a whole lot of a transformation for herself, she is doing a lot of what she did in 'Mother!' here as well, but it works in the film's favor. The actor who should not have been in this is Robert Pattinson. Very miscast role. It's not that he's a bad actor, it's that his acting is dry and emotionless. This role required someone with a more tender screen presence. Had they stuck with the idea I had thought they were going with, he would've been just fine, but, again, then the movie went on for another 25 minutes, making you feel bad for his character, and obliterated that idea out of my head.

Overall, I couldn't recommend it. The meaning and emotion that could have been are all lost in this messy soup of a film. The acting is great and the cinematography is a stand out, but the lack of a cohesive plotline, an ending that dragged on and on, and the very miscast husband pushed this film all the way to the ground by the end of it. A shame, a daring and provocative performance just wasted because of somebody's idea of 'avent garde elevated cinema'.

2 dead loves out of 5.