The Wasteland Reviewer

Die My Love (2025) Written Review

What combination of talent is going to get you to buy into a new release? Mubi. Jennifer Lawrence. Robert Pattinson. Now that is a tantalizing cinematic combination that will grab your attention. Even Lynn Ramsey (director of We Need to Talk About Kevin and You Were Never Really There) taking the reins will elevate the profile of such a film. Throw in a few screen legends like Sissy Spacek and Nick Nolte and you have yourself an awards season sleeper on your hands. That is certainly the buzz that is floating around this new psychological drama about motherhood and marriage. 

How does Ramsey approach this domestic tale with plenty of relatable and grounded ideas and themes? Die My Love is quite a visceral and engrossing experience. Ramsey crafts an unnerving and engrossing atmosphere that is pregnant with tension and danger. Lawrence is a woman who navigates through pregnancy, new motherhood, and a tenuous marriage which continually keeps plenty of tension along the way. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey delivers a harrowing visual palette that is rich in texture. There is a brilliant combination of color and darkness that gives the film such a heavy and poignant feeling. There is an emotional heft to every frame which works perfectly with this tumultuous tale of mental instability and fracturing relationships. The editing is smooth and fluid in such an effective way. We feel the dreamlike wonder of a loving relationship which gives way to the more nightmarish struggle of Lawrence’s protagonist attempting to keep herself grounded through the stormy state she finds herself in. The musical (co-composed by Ramsey) certainly sets a tension-filled tone as well. 

Does Ramsey’s screenplay (co-written by Enda Walsh and Alice Birch) deliver an engrossing and compelling story that matches the intense and dynamic direction? Die My Love is adapted from Ariana Harwicz’ novel and tells the story of Grace (Lawrence) who is a writer and young mother who slowly slips into madness. The narrative beats and over-arching premise are not unique but there is a certain energy that gives it life. Isolation opens the door for erratic behavior and an increasingly agitated persona. Grace witnesses the fraying sanity of her in-laws (Nolte and Spacek) which gives her a glimpse into the behavior that would soon overcome her. Over the two-hour runtime, the audience is taken on a ride full of unstable behavior and increasingly dangerous scenarios. Ramsey does not pull punches and takes her protagonist into some unsettling and harrowing experiences that will certainly shake you as a viewer. There isn’t anything truly unique about Grace or her husband Jackson (who is just a series of obtuse and ignorant husband tropes) but that doesn’t take away from the emotional impact of her decisions and actions. Ramsey elevates a more straightforward narrative that is familiar cinema with her sharp and dynamic filmmaking and presentation.

What other elements elevate these familiar beats and experiences? The cast of Die My Love is quite impressive. Lawrence has not been in the cinematic spotlight often as of late, but she certainly makes an impression with this performance. Lawrence carries her unique brand of raw energy and emotion into this role of Grace, which gives her trials more depth and impact. Lawrence matches the haunting vibes of the film with her intensity and authenticity. Pattison just dissolves into his performance as Jackson who feels like a fully realized character. An expert of authentic performance, Pattison brings a raw energy to the film that heightens the conflicts that rage between Grace and Jackson. This might not be a unique character, but Pattison certainly disappears into the role. Spacek brings a grounded humanity to the film with her performance. Genuine and real, Spacek feels so important to the effectiveness of this film. Nolte shines in the few scenes he is given to explore an intense bout of dementia. This quartet does wonders in the hands of Ramsey who crafts such a visceral and poignant experience. 

Is Die My Love a big-time contender for Mubi this awards season? Ramsey takes a story that feels familiar for sure and a bit unfocused and explores it through some powerful filmmaking. The intensity and raw nature of this drama make it work as well as it does. Lawrence delivers a powerhouse performance (as we expect from her) and Pattison, Spacek, and Nolte give her the needed support to make this drama hit quite hard. Die My Love is not a great film, but it certainly has an impact and will take you for a ride.