When aspiring novelist Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) falls pregnant and gives birth, everyone around her, including her husband Jackson (Robert Pattinson) assume they know what’s best for her. However, as her mental state slowly deteriorates, Grace becomes consumed by not only postpartum depression, but also frustration and anger.

Lawrence gives a fantastic performance as Grace, fully capturing her dissatisfaction with her domesticated life as mother and housewife as well as her resulting fracturing mental state. Her extreme highs and lows are shown in an unflinching manner that doesn’t hold back to make the character’s issues appear more palatable. In particular, Lawrence excels in Grace’s manic episodes and her animalistic foreplay with Pattinson, giving these scenes jolts of tragic, comedic, and primal energy that enhance them as stepping stones on her path to hospitalisation.

Pattinson also impresses, avoiding making Jackson seem like a two-dimensional caricature of an unsympathetic, abusive husband. He matches Lawrence beat for beat in their scenes together whether in love or hatred, with the two sparking off each other in ways that make them seem like a real life couple, making Jackson’s more abusive actions all the more jarring and emotionally affecting when they appear.

Sissy Spacek and Nick Nolte also provide good support as Jackson’s parents, with the latter surprisingly subtle in comparison to his more bombastic roles. LaKeith Stanfield provides an intriguing presence as a family man who Grace may have a relationship with – he skilfully handles the ambiguous nature of his character and relationship with Lawrence, enhancing a role that could have easily come across as an unnecessary addition to the narrative.

Whilst the cast are understandably excellent, Ramsay’s direction also deserves praise. She effectively reflects the disjointed state of Grace’s mind through dreamlike imagery, in particular Grace’s encounters with Stanfield’s character and the climactic sequence, which encapsulates the overall feel of the film.

Die My Love won’t be to everyone’s tastes, with its stylistic and tonal shifts not making any accommodation to audience members expecting a more mainstream take on issues such as postpartum depression. However, that unique approach is what makes the film work, as it stands out amongst other releases to provide a viewing experience unlike any other this year.

In cinemas nationwide now