Grace, a writer and young mother, is suffering from postpartum depression and slowly spiraling into madness. Moving into an old house with her husband, Jackson, her mind begins to unravel as she becomes increasingly agitated and erratic.
Jennifer Lawrence is Grace, apparently happily married to Jackson (Robert Pattinson) at first. They inherit a country house from a relative in the hopes of freeing themselves from the bustle of New York City. Unfortunately, Grace is a writer bereft of inspiration. Not long after they move in, a baby arrives, and Grace starts her steady descent into madness. As if her depression wasn’t already enough, Jackson makes matters worse by surprising Grace with an obnoxious, constantly barking dog that she despises. Tension rises amid a newborn baby, an unruly dog, and a frequently absent husband in a home enmeshed in clutter, serving as an apt metaphor for the couple’s lives.
Sissy Spacek as Jackson’s mother, Pam, seems nice enough and supportive of her daughter-in-law. Nick Nolte makes a couple of brief appearances as Pam’s husband, Harry, the brother of Frank, who owned the modest residence and committed suicide there. Pam is rarely without her rifle, though it’s not clear why – the idyllically rural setting where they live looks tame enough.
LaKeith Stanfield plays Karl, a neighbor who swings by Grace’s yard periodically on his motorcycle, though it’s not clear how the two know each other or the nature of their affair. They meet silently and unexpectedly throughout the film. The only words they share occur when Karl is loading groceries into a car with his wife and child at the local supermarket, making for an awkward encounter.
As the narrative progresses, Grace becomes increasingly detached from the people around her – Jackson at first, but then Pam as well. Jackson confides to Pam that he thinks Grace will benefit from time alone to write her book, which only exacerbates the situation. Their marriage becomes sexless. When Grace presses for specifics about when the next time might be that they have sex, she decides to try in the car on Jackson’s lap in front of Pam’s home. Needless to say, things go badly.
As Grace’s mind starts to unravel, her behavior becomes even more erratic. She shoots the dog. She hurls herself through a glass door, shattering shards across the outside porch and cutting her face. When Pam asks how Grace starts her day, she can’t manage to furnish much of an answer. Later, she essentially destroys Pam’s bathroom in a fit of frustration. At a party, she strips down to her underwear and jumps in the neighbor’s pool filled with young children. When Jackson has a meltdown about the incident in the car on the way home, Grace nearly throws herself out the passenger door. In another scene, alone in her bedroom, she slams her forehead into a mirror, causing it to bleed. Flashbacks to their wedding reception portend the shape of things to come when she won’t stop dancing even into the wee hours when everyone else has long since taken a chair – Grace is nothing if not high maintenance.
“May we live long and die out,” Grace says loudly to everyone as a toast at another gathering, but only Pam raises a glass. When Pam and Grace share a moment during the episode, the two women see something in each other, something frightening. Grace becomes terrified and runs out of the house while Pam smiles.
Lawrence’s portrayal of Grace is reminiscent of elements of “American Hustle,” particularly when she dances manically to “Live and Let Die” – in both films, putting on display women struggling to control their inner turmoil. Directed by Lynne Ramsay, adapted from the 2012 novel by Ariana Harwicz, the project had been in development since 2020, when Martin Scorsese sent the novel to Lawrence’s production company. The motion picture is a whirlwind ride into the dark side of mental illness, rich with symbolism. Shot in 4:3 aspect ratio (1.33: 1), the narrow screen very intentionally has the feel of a classic film. Not for everyone, but “Die My Love” will certainly please fans of Jennifer Lawrence who admire her ability to deliver intense performances.
Available on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™, and DVD April 21st
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