‘A thing you love is suffering…’
Glaswegian filmmaker Lynne Ramsay has only directed five films since her lauded 1999 debut, Ratcatcher. As a result, every new Ramsay film feels like an event. Excitement reached fever pitch for Die My Love, Ramsay’s fifth and most recent film, following the news of the casting of Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. That’s a lot of talent right there…
Grace (Lawrence) and Jackson (Pattinson) move to Montana from New York after the latter’s uncle commits suicide and leaves them the house in his will. While the two initially enjoy their rural abode, things take a downward turn when a baby arrives and Grace develops postnatal depression. Jackson’s mother, Pam (Sissy Spacek), desperately tries to keep the peace between the warring couple.
Based on Ariana Harwicz’s 2012 novel, Ramsay’s film is a compelling character study and a meditative reflection on the loneliness of motherhood. While there isn’t much of a plot here, the film never feels meandering, mainly due to Lawrence’s incredible starring turn. Indeed, her star wattage burns so bright that everyone else (including Pattinson) is dimmed by comparison. One criticism I do have of Die My Love, in fact, is that in the hands of Pattinson, Jackson remains frustratingly opaque throughout the film. I understand, of course, that this is about Grace and that the story is told through her perspective (much of it feels ethereal – we’re never sure if what we are seeing is real or not), but even Jennifer Lawrence can’t carry a film alone for two hours. There are also tonal inconsistencies here. Sometimes it feels like Ramsay is aiming for gritty realism and slice-of-life authenticity, but this is at odds with the ever more outlandish behaviour that Grace exhibits pretty much without censor (the fate and location of the baby itself often feels like an afterthought).
All that being said, Die My Love is beautifully shot, has a wonderful and unique soundtrack and features Lawrence at her very best. It suffers in comparison to Mother!, Lawrence’s other incredible portrayal of a mother in peril, but taken on its own, Ramsay’s latest must be considered a success – powerful and visceral filmmaking.
