Peneflix MOVIE REVIEWS BY PENEFLIX
Jennifer Lawrence gives a career-defining portrait of madness and angst in “Die My Love” based on the 2012 novel by Arina Harwicz; director/writer Lynne Ramsay (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”) pulverizes viewers with the detrimental effects of postpartum depression’; “Grace” (Lawrence) was muddled before we meet her and her boyfriend “Jackson” (instinctive performance by Robert Pattinson) whose relationship, defined by sexual obsessive compulsive disorder, plummets into chaos with the birth of their son “Harry”. Lucious cinematography softens (but does not save) the monumental frustrations of Grace’s slippage into the clutches of meaningless madness; her mother-in-law (reliable Sissy Spacek) hapless but empathetic in recognizing Grace’s unpredictability; hope as an option, never realized.
“Die My Love” is difficult, dark, demanding, commanding of viewers tolerance of plodding pain, groaning animalistic behavior, gratuitous savagery; amazingly Lawrence was four months pregnant with her second child and was pivotally aware of “motherhood” and its vital role of protectiveness; despite Grace’s descent into the bowels of Hades, Harry is perpetually saved from harm.
Periodically, flirting with an emotionally safeguarded exit; staying for its cataclysmic, cleansing conclusion, respected but unlikable, tortuous film.
TWO & ½ STARS
Peneflix
