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Lynne Ramsay’s ‘Die, My Love’ is a relationship drama that seeps beneath your skin, holding you hostage in its initial half. The film boasts two lead performances from Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson as newlyweds whose relationship is slowly unraveled by isolation and anxieties.
Lynne Ramsay’s latest feature, Die, My Love, is a relationship drama that quickly seeps beneath your skin, holding you hostage in its initial half.
The phrase 'die, my love' is a metaphorical expression originating from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
It symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice one makes for their beloved.
The phrase conveys the depth of devotion and loyalty between two individuals willing to risk everything, including their lives, for each other.
This concept has been explored in various forms of literature, art, and music throughout history, highlighting the power of unconditional love.
The film boasts two lead performances from Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson as Grace and Jackson, newlyweds who inherit a Montana farmhouse. This rural setting serves as the backdrop for their steadily crumbling relationship.
The film’s cinematography, courtesy of Seamus McGarvey, creates a desolate atmosphere that mirrors the couple’s emotional state. The color palette is washed out, over-exposed to the point where every scene resembles a hangover. Swirling bokeh adds to the sense of vertigo and unease, making each scene feel like it’s spinning out of control.
Cinematography is the art and science of capturing visual images for film, television, and other media.
It involves the use of cameras, lighting, and composition to create a visually appealing and engaging image.
A cinematographer's role is to work with the 'director' to bring their vision to life, using techniques such as camera movement, lighting setups, and color correction.
Cinematography requires a deep understanding of visual aesthetics, technical skills, and creative collaboration.
Despite its postpartum depression undertones, Die, My Love feels like a mis-categorization. The couple’s woes are catalyzed by Grace staying home to care for their baby while Jackson spends more time away at his blue-collar job. This imbalance creates tension and anxiety that permeates the film.
Lawrence and Pattinson deliver raw, instinctive performances as they embody the feral sexuality of newlyweds. Their sex is playful and euphoric, drawing the viewer into the lust and excitement of their honeymoon stage. However, this energy quickly dissipates as the couple enters a rut.
Jennifer Lawrence is a renowned American actress born on August 15, 1990, in Indian Hills, Kentucky.
She rose to fame after her breakout role in the 2010 film 'Winter's Bone'.
Lawrence has since appeared in numerous successful films, including 'Silver Linings Playbook', 'American Hustle', and 'The Hunger Games' series.
She is known for her versatility and range as an actress, earning numerous awards and nominations throughout her career.
According to Forbes, Lawrence was one of the highest-paid actresses in 2019, with an estimated net worth of over $100 million.
The film’s back-and-forth screenplay structure forces the viewer to work overtime to keep track of its confounding emotional inner workings. The evolution (or de-evolution) of Grace and Jackson’s marriage is largely in stasis, with the characters failing to brush up against the movie’s established emotional confines.
The film’s visual language remains unchanging even as the couple navigates new phases of their relationship. This stagnation is reflected in the cinematography, which fails to undergo any meaningful transformations. The result is a sense of malaise that feels stuck and unchanging.
Die, My Love arrives like a lightning strike, snatching your attention with its sprawling shots of the couple’s new home. However, this initial energy never fully translates into a deeper exploration of the young couple’s troubles. The film ultimately feels like an uninhabitable space – one that fails to provide any real emotional depth or transformation.
- observer.com | Screening at Cannes: Lynne Ramsay’s ‘Die, My Love’
