BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Taking on roles where the character is circling the emotional drain is always a test for an actor. Faye Dunaway never fully escaped the negativity thrust upon her while playing Joan Crawford in “Mommy Dearest.”
The mistake the team behind “Mommy Dearest’ made was allowing the production to slide too close to being campy. That’s never a good look when dealing with any mental issues.
There is no such situation for Jennifer Lawrence in the emotionally haunting “Die My Love.” This tale of a woman who is dealing with postpartum psychosis is never allowed by director Lynne Ramsay to stray outside the lines of painful reality. The portrait Ramsay paints is one of the battles between conflict and commitment, love and indifference, pain and passion and hope and despair.
Each plays out like an emotional car wreck that is too hideous to observe but too fascinating to ignore. The film has postpartum at its center but there is a much larger story being told in terms of relationships that snap under emotional strain.
Life seems simple for Grace (Lawrence) and Jackson (Robert Pattison) as they move to a quaint little house on the edge of civilization. Even the home comes with a dark undercurrent as it became available after a bizarre suicide.
Their passionate and carefree life changes with the birth of their son. Grace exhibits all the characteristics of a good mom when with the baby but when they are separated cracks begin to show in her demeanor.
Her sexual appetite and frustration end up leading to an affair with a neighbor. At least that sexual connection appears to be real but by the time it begins, the film has already started to create pockets of confusion where what is real and what is not have started to blur.
Grace’s anxiety is stoked by those around her. Sissy Spacek’s portrayal of Pam, Grace’s grandmother-in-law, serves as a window into what Grace’s future could become. After the death of her husband (Nick Nolte), Pam’s mental state has deteriorated to the point she is sleepwalking through the countryside while carrying a loaded rifle.
Also working against Grace is her husband who may or not be having affairs. This is another example of how difficult it is to keep straight what is supposed to exist on a real level. Sexual questions aside, Jackson is either unaware of his wife’s condition or doesn’t care.
This manifests itself through his decision to bring a constantly barking dog into their home. Couple that endless yapping with the crying baby and Jackson’s emotional distance and Grace’s mental state never stood a chance.
The most telling moment for Jackson is when he asks, “Where are you, Grace?” and she responds with “I’m right here – you just don’t see me.” That social invisibility allows each emotion to have an unblocked freedom to explode.
Ramsay does drift into symbolism on occasion ranging from a horse that freely runs through the countryside. It is an obvious symbol for the unbridled spirit Grace is convinced she has lost. There is also the mysterious motorcycle rider who also represents Grace’s loss of freedom.
The film is based on the acclaimed debut novel by Ariana Harwicz published in 2012. Martin Scorsese recommended Lawrence make the film. Having Lawrence at the center of the film was the key ingredient to keeping the film from falling off the razor-sharp edge between camp and clever.
Not only did Lawrence agree to star in the movie made through her production company but she filmed it while four months pregnant with her second child. There is a lot of pressure bringing to life two projects at the same time, but Lawrence shows why she has an Oscar.
She takes Grace from a sympathetic player to a woman so emotionally broken she has no regard for her own life. Each level of emotional distress is played with a deep confidence and that is why the movie succeeds despite taking on a story that could have been a disaster.
Solid work by Lawrence (who should end up in Oscar talks) and Ramsay’s direction makes “Die My Love” a compelling story played out on emotional quicksand.
Movie review
Die My Love
Grade: B-
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattison, Sissy Spacek, Nick Nolte.
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Rated: R for some violent content, graphic nudity, sexual content
Running time: 118 minutes.
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