Die, My Love: Jennifer Lawrence explores a troubled character

Die, My Love is a psychological horror film directed by Lynne Ramsay, starring Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. The story is based on the book Die, My Love by renowned Argentine novelist Ariana Harwicz. The plot centers on the mental deterioration suffered by a woman after becoming a mother.

The film tells the story of Grace, who faces psychosis in a rural setting that intensifies her mental struggles. As she navigates her new experience of motherhood, it becomes clear how vulnerable Grace is, giving the audience an intense glimpse into her internal battle. The lonely atmosphere of Montana reflects her isolation and despair. Although the film does not establish a clear diagnosis for Grace's problems, whether postpartum depression or borderline personality disorder, it highlights the pressure and expectations she faces.

At first, this change of environment allows the couple to feel an exciting freedom, full of desire and love for music. However, this perfect relationship will be disrupted by Grace's pregnancy and the arrival of a baby that will completely change the family dynamics. On the one hand, Jackson will take on an unusual role as an authority figure, marked by a lack of intimacy and his absence, while Grace will fall into a deep depression, caused by intense dissatisfaction with her sex life.

Motherhood and madness

Die, My Love delves deeply into the complexities of postpartum depression, presenting a visceral and immersive portrayal of its effects on a new mother, Grace.

The film portrays Grace's struggle with her identity as she transitions into motherhood. She grapples with questions about who she is as a mother, wife, and individual, leading to a significant identity crisis. This internal conflict is compounded by her feelings of inadequacy and the societal pressures surrounding motherhood, which can intensify the emotional turmoil experienced during this period.

This horror movie vividly depicts the chaotic emotional landscape of postpartum depression. Grace experiences severe mood swings, oscillating between despair and moments of fleeting joy. Critics have noted that the film captures the "mercurial storm" of her moods, illustrating how these fluctuations can leave a new mother feeling unmoored and misunderstood by those around her.

In Die My Love, Lawrence moves around her home and surroundings, crawling on her hands and feet, displaying animalistic behavior that can be interpreted as an escape from family constraints.

As in all her films, Ramsay shows a particular interest in the more irrational side of humanity, which steers the work toward a dark poetry that differs from conventional narrative.

After feeding her baby and walking around her house partially undressed, Grace (Lawrence) approaches some unfinished paintings and, as she looks at them, a few drops of her milk fall onto the dark paint stains. The union of these liquids creates an image of the universe that reflects the protagonist's existential confusion. Thus, between lyrical moments and the impressionistic representation of Grace's profound abandonment.

Throughout the film, she is seen wandering like a lost spirit through the American countryside as she pushes her baby's stroller. This horror story reflects on the shadow that lurks at the limits of the experience of motherhood.

Lawrence shines with an impressive performance that showcases her ability to portray her character's dramatic downfall. In the film, Grace laughs maniacally, cries desperately, gets carried away in a dancing frenzy, sinks into sadness, shamelessly exposes her body, and embarks on an intense emotional journey. The similarity between the painful maternal experiences Lawrence portrays in Darren Aranofsky's Mother! and Die My Love is striking. In these two films, which are imbued with a subjective approach, the actress becomes a symbol of motherhood fractured by abandonment and patriarchal pressures. This femininity, in its desire for liberation, boldly heads toward madness.