Now on MUBI UK (from January 23), Die My Love is a bold, unsettling psychological drama led by the ferocious Jennifer Lawrence. A must-watch.
Synopsis
Grace, a writer and young mother, is slowly slipping into madness. Locked away in an old house in and around Montana, we see her acting increasingly agitated and erratic, leaving her companion, Jackson, increasingly worried and helpless.
Review
A bold, unsettling, and visually hypnotic psychological drama, driven by a completely fearless performance from Jennifer Lawrence. Lawrence has never been someone who plays it safe, and Die My Love is another reminder of just how willing she is to go to uncomfortable places. Emotionally, physically, psychologically — she goes all in, and honestly, it’s hard to look away.
Directed by Lynne Ramsay, the film came in with big awards-season energy, promising something challenging, daring, and a little bit unhinged. And that’s exactly what it delivers. What starts as a slow, uneasy burn gradually spirals into a descent into madness that’s equal parts beautiful and deeply distressing — all anchored by Lawrence’s raw, no-holds-barred performance.
Set in rural America, Die My Love follows Grace, a woman struggling with postpartum depression as her grip on reality begins to slip. The isolation of her surroundings only makes everything feel heavier, lonelier, and more claustrophobic.
The first half of the film feels strange but fairly grounded — we watch Grace unravel, her behaviour growing more erratic as the world around her becomes colder and more alienating. It’s unsettling, but still recognisable. The second half, though? That’s where the film really clicks into something special. Once Grace’s psychosis fully takes over — not just her, but us as the audience too — the film becomes far more abstract and emotionally immersive. Reality starts to blur, time feels off, and the story becomes less about plot and more about feeling. It’s not always comfortable, and it definitely doesn’t spoon-feed you, but that’s very much the point. And yes, Jennifer Lawrence is phenomenal.
She gives a performance that feels completely unfiltered: unhinged but relatable, funny in a dark, uncomfortable way, heartbreaking, poetic, and totally fearless. Grace isn’t an easy character to like — she’s messy, cruel at times, and deeply flawed — but that’s what makes her feel so painfully human. Robert Pattinson’s Jackson initially feels a bit sidelined, almost like he doesn’t have enough to do. But as Grace spirals further, his role becomes clearer. He shifts between being an agitator and a lifeline — sometimes helping, sometimes actively making things worse. What I really appreciated is that neither character is portrayed as “good.” They both do questionable, often pretty shitty things, which keeps the film grounded in a very modern, very real kind of messiness.
Lynne Ramsay’s direction is haunting throughout. The rural setting heightens the sense of isolation, making every empty field and quiet road feel suffocating. The nighttime cinematography, in particular, is gorgeous — all greyscale tones, deep shadows, and that dead-of-night darkness where there’s no light pollution, no comfort, and nowhere to hide. Every frame feels intentional, prioritising mood over clarity and emotion over explanation.
The score quietly does a lot of heavy lifting, too. It never overwhelms a scene, but it sneaks in at exactly the right moments, adding weight to the film’s emotional highs and lows. The sound design also plays a huge role in disorienting us, mirroring Grace’s fractured sense of reality.
Verdict
At its core, Die My Love is a brutal exploration of postpartum depression, identity loss, and isolation. Grace is constantly surrounded by people, yet completely alone — no one truly sees her, no one knows how to help, and the film refuses easy answers or neat resolutions. That lingering uncertainty about what’s real and what isn’t sticks with you long after the credits roll.
This isn’t an easy watch — but it is a powerful one. It’s the kind of emotionally raw, daring film that awards bodies love, and one that stays with you long after it’s over. If you’re into challenging psychological dramas and fearless performances, this is absolutely worth your time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
