Review: ‘Die My Love’ is a Primal Scream of Maternal Rage
Jennifer Lawrence stars as Grace, a new mother struggling to hold onto her sanity, often lashing out in unpredictable ways. Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay’s long-awaited fifth feature, Die My Love, explores a provocative question framed within a mental health crisis: Can a wild woman be domesticated? Although Ramsay hints at her answer early on, the audience only gradually understands it.
The film follows a young couple, Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) and Jackson (Robert Pattinson), as they move into a new house and begin their life together. The story takes a wild and unforeseen course that ultimately feels inevitable in hindsight.
Collaboration of Three Bold Women
Die My Love is the product of a unique collaboration between three daring women:
- Jennifer Lawrence – star and producer
- Ariana Harwicz – writer of the 2012 novel Matate, amor, about a young mother unraveling in rural France
- Lynne Ramsay – visionary director known for her evocative imagery and the balance of despair and joy
Ramsay adapted the novel with Enda Walsh and Alice Birch before directing, with Lawrence in the lead role.
A Raw Expression of Maternal Fury
The film feels like a ragged, primal scream—not a cry for help but a fierce bellow of maternal rage. The couple’s new home, once lived in by Jackson’s Uncle Frank, becomes a symbol of endless possibilities amid decay.
“Jackson suggests she write ‘the great American novel,’ while he might record an album. The possibilities are somehow endless in this decrepit, abandoned house, which they fill with their young life, including baby Harry.”
Die My Love is a powerful cinematic journey into the turmoil of motherhood and the challenge of taming a wild spirit.
Author’s summary: Die My Love offers an intense portrayal of a mother’s anguish and fury, blending bold performances and visionary direction to confront the raw nature of maternal identity.