Jennifer Lawrence is jaw-droppingly superb in the latest Lynne Ramsay film, a powerful feature about a mother struggling with her mental health, isolated with a newborn in rural America.
Filmmaker Lynne Ramsay’s last trip to Cannes as director was all the way back in 2017 with the brilliant You Were Never Really Here, which would ultimately win a Best Actor award for star Joaquin Phoenix, and a screenplay honour for Ramsay. Her latest, based on the novel by Ariana Harwicz looks like it might sway similar gongs in the direction of its lead, Jennifer Lawrence, too and she delivers perhaps the performance of her career.
Lawrence is Grace, who we meet as she and partner Jackson (Robert Pattinson) are looking around a vacant property, which is evident that they are about to move into. It belonged to Jackson’s late uncle, who we later find out took his own life. Although rundown, in need of some cosmetic work and with a potential rat problem, the house is salvageable, and it could be a dream family home away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. We also discover in the opening scenes that Grace is with child, its arrival imminent, an event which will ultimately change their lives in more ways than one.
The idealistic setting is a place where frequent passion on the kitchen floor and hopes of Grace writing a novel in the breaks between nursing her newborn fritter away once reality and normality of their new everyday life kick in. Jackson’s job sees him away a lot, and Grace is left at home, alone with the child, with sleepless nights and a lack of focus severely affecting her mental health. With the nearest neighbours miles away, and despite having a mother-in-law – a brilliant Sissy Spacek – just down the road, Grace’s loneliness begins to fester into something more problematic, and anxiety and postnatal depression lead to something more serious.
Adapted for the screen by Ramsay and screenwriters Enda Walsh and Alice Birch, Die, My Love is a difficult watch from the off and deeply unsettling in places. That said, with the darkness also comes comedy, and Lawrence’s black humour shines through a pretty bleak watch. It’s all excellent stuff, though. Every cog in the machine delivers – whether it be Seamus McGarvey’s stunning 4:3 cinematography, the really rather loud, booming sound design and an excellent, moody score from Ben Frost. Frequent needle drops also contribute to the narrative, which eases the senses slightly but also unsettles when they pop up in specific scenes.
Pattinson very much plays support to Lawrence’s commanding turn – easily one of the best performances from her already glittering career. Fearless as always, Lawrence takes us on a journey with Ramsay, which is always unpredictable, constantly fearsome and always engaging. Those with nervous dispositions of fingernails being dragged down walls might want to look away for one scene late on when Lawrence’s character eventually hits rock bottom in their family bathroom, a scene that really is shocking though again ultimately amusing as Pattinson’s Jackson interjects from the other side of the door in need of relief.
Unconventional, dark in nature and presentation, but absolutely one of the best films playing in the competition in Cannes this year. Lynne Ramsay does it again with a near-masterpiece of a film that will leave the viewer completely shaken long after the credits roll.
Die, My Love was reviewed at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
Die, My Love
Summary
A commanding work from Lynne Ramsay – a near masterpiece with a jawdropping central performance from Jennifer Lawrence.
