Transcript

A (0:01)

Blank Check with Griffin and David. Blankjack with Griffin and David. Don't know what to say or to expect. All you need to know is that the name of the shadow is Blackjack. I'm stuck between wanting to do podcasts and not wanting to do podcasts at all.

B (0:29)

That's great. What was that?

A (0:30)

That's my favorite line in the movie.

B (0:32)

Okay.

A (0:32)

Which is when she's at the party with the neighborhood families.

B (0:36)

Yes.

A (0:36)

And the woman asked her, what do you do?

B (0:38)

Yeah, I'm a writer or whatever.

A (0:39)

No, no, that's not what she said. She doesn't say that. In fact, what she says is the thing I just quoted. She said, I'm stuck between wanting to do something and not wanting to do anything at all.

B (0:49)

Yeah, you're right. That's a good line. It's in there.

C (0:52)

I'm relatable. Incredibly relatable.

A (0:54)

It's a real. You have captured something in words, perfectly performed by one of our most powerful movie stars that I have never been able to quite get my hands around.

B (1:08)

Jennifer Lawrence. Is she one of our most. She is.

A (1:10)

I guess I'm choosing the word powerful. You can use the term in terms of the power of what she does, like, her work.

B (1:19)

Remember how when Angelina Jolie was sort of the number one most famous actress of her age, Right. Like, was the, I guess, consensus a list movie star who is a woman

A (1:29)

of her generation, no question.

B (1:31)

And, like. And you would. Every so often, people would be like, she's never been in a good movie or really, like, made a proper hit. And I would always push back on that.

D (1:40)

I would be like, no, no, no.

Summary

Blank Check with Griffin & David
Episode: Die My Love with Alison Willmore
Release Date: February 22, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Griffin Newman and David Sims (with producer Ben Hosley) wrap up their Lynne Ramsay miniseries “We Need To Pod About Cassfin” with a deep-dive, panel-style exploration of Die My Love, Ramsay’s jagged postpartum drama starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. Critic and fellow Blank Check podcaster Alison Willmore joins the conversation. The trio analyze the film’s creative choices, box office context, Lawrence’s evolving stardom, and contemporary trends in film distribution and critical reception.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Jennifer Lawrence Discourse (00:32–24:04)

Film Line of the Week: The group opens by quoting Lawrence’s character:

“I’m stuck between wanting to do something and not wanting to do anything at all.” (00:39, Griffin quoting)
Star Power Comparison: The hosts compare Lawrence with Angelina Jolie as a “powerful” contemporary movie star. Jolie is remembered for her star persona versus “blockbuster” hits; Lawrence is seen as having more hits but perhaps hasn't yet eclipsed Jolie's signature screen presence moments (e.g., Girl, Interrupted). (01:19–02:18)
J-Law’s Career Trajectory:
- Early success in franchises (Hunger Games, X-Men) and prestige movies (David O. Russell collaborations).
- Now focusing on producing, steering her post-franchise image into more “grown-up,” selective, and surprising roles.
- Notable quote (Alison Willmore):
  
  “She has yet to really do the thing that Jolie did, which is to come into a movie and just, like, blow everyone else out of office...” (02:04)
Soft Relaunches:
- Career recalibrations: Causeway (quiet Apple release), No Hard Feelings (raunchy comedy), Die My Love (serious, dark drama).
- The industry’s reliance on star-driven viral marketing versus actual audience turnout, e.g., Lawrence’s Hot Ones appearance doesn't move ticket sales:
  
  “That basically, I think for most listeners is the equivalent of ‘Thanks for watching. Please rate, review, and subscribe.’” (15:53, Griffin)
Quote (on social media vs. ticket sales):

“… you gave eyeballs to Variety or … it might sell copies of Operation. Actually doesn’t get your movie anywhere.” (15:25, Griffin)

Changing Industry & Box Office “Flop Fall” (12:07–24:04)

Star-driven prestige films underperforming in theaters: Die My Love, Christie, Smashing Machine, Roofman, etc.
Die My Love fares better critically, but still whiffs commercially and awards-wise despite Lawrence’s significant publicity push.
Key analysis (David):

“You watched a fun clip. ... It doesn't go to the movie." (15:07)

Jennifer Lawrence’s Phase Two (16:40–24:04)

Lawrence’s shift to producing and choosing projects close to her interests/relationships.
Strategic withdrawal and return (“Let people miss her”), soft re-launches as a mature star and creative partner.
Her production partnership with longtime friend Justine Ciarrocchi.
Notable Lawrence Productions:
- Causeway, No Hard Feelings, two lesser-known documentaries, and Die My Love.
Commentary on her transition into (potential) “weirdo phase”—moving away from commercial star vehicles to passion projects, favoring directors like Ramsay, and skipping the big franchise circuit.

Die My Love: The Film (41:33–124:30)

General Impressions (41:33–43:56)

All three hosts rate the performances highly, Lawrence in particular, but note flaws in rhythm and point-of-view, especially with Pattinson’s character.
Lawrence’s performance is characterized as “deliberately difficult,” both opaque and raw (20:38, Alison).

On-Set & Process Details (62:45–73:58)

Lawrence was pregnant during the shoot (not immediately postpartum).
Ramsay reworked the original French-set, book-based story into a Montana-set, “mad love story,” drifting away from the book’s strict postpartum/mental health focus.
Writing process involves playwright Edna Walsh (Disco Pigs) and Alice Birch as script editor; adaptation emphasizes subjectivity and emotional murkiness.
Quote (on Ramsay’s approach):

“She’s the only poet I know of that makes movies.” (67:40, Lawrence about Ramsay)

Characterization Problems (43:56–54:15)

Critique: The Robert Pattinson character (“Jackson”) lacks specificity—neither dumb nor smart enough, not fully drawn, thus undermining the emotional stakes.
Debate over whether more of his perspective was needed, or if the choice to focus solely on Lawrence’s subjectivity was intentional and (sometimes) distancing.
The dog scene—used as a “reverse Save the Cat,” intentionally provoking audience discomfort, but used to force a persistent viewing of a morally compromised protagonist.

“It is actually designing a perfect anti-Save the Cat. ... You have to, like, live with this.” (43:35, Griffin)

Thematic Analysis (54:15–125:22)

Themes of Isolation and Postpartum Psychosis:
- Examines how Ramsay (and Lawrence) avoid easy answers—society tries to designate her crisis as postpartum, culture shock, or family trauma, but the film resists these frameworks.
- The restlessness and “impossibly unhappy in her own skin” quality (96:17, Alison) is a key element of Lawrence’s performance.
- Multiple possible “diagnoses” floated in the film—none satisfy or rescue the protagonist.
Sociocultural Gender Analysis:
- The rural Montana setting amplifies isolation and the expectations forced on women.
- The community of women alternately tries to help, judge, and normalize her pain (“We have to stick together… but they don’t understand what’s going on with her.” — 56:10, Alison).
- The film critiques the insufficient social acknowledgment of maternal mental health and the limits of “it takes a village.”
Notable Scenes Detailed:
- Thanksgiving/dinner table gender split (83:38): Shows the protagonist’s horror at becoming “just another housewife.”
- Interactions with Sissy Spacek’s character as a vision of suppressed, fragile, quietly suffering womanhood.
- Wedding sequence as a “final battle” to construct a happy life (118:04–119:04).
Comparisons to Melancholia:
- The depiction of depression, family dynamics, and a protagonist who cannot submit to the world’s expectations.

Cinematography & Aesthetic (115:19–117:32)

Shot in Academy ratio; intentionally uses burning lenses and reversal stock to create an “inky” psychological look.
The fire in the woods at the end is intentionally unrealistic—“super CGI and artificial,” meant to signal a subjective, ecstatic psychological state or metaphorical liberation (126:47).

Ending (124:30–126:59)

The trio reads the ending as the protagonist refusing to return to “normalcy,” not as suicide but as escape and refusal.

“It is metaphorical, but it’s metaphorically behavioral... it’s like, I’m done playing the game.” (124:30, Griffin)

Box Office, Marketing, and Distribution Trends

The “Flop Fall” Context (130:09–147:13)

Mubi bought the film for a (seemingly ill-advised) $20 million at Cannes.
The math behind such buys is now obscure—streamer-driven, value may be more in having Lawrence + Pattinson on the app than in theatrical takes (131:37–133:00).
Every Ramsay film, despite acclaim and star power, tops out around $10M globally.
"Wide" releases for films like Die My Love are now often contractual, triggered by star demands, often resulting in commercial embarrassment but filling screens post-strike (140:37–142:59).
Die My Love's U.S. release: Opened #8, peaked at ~$10M worldwide (147:13). More screens don’t mean more money.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“She has yet to really do the thing that Jolie did, which is… just, like, blow everyone else out of office.” (02:04, Alison)
“You watched Jennifer Lawrence kill it on Hot Ones for 25 minutes… that is the equivalent of ‘rate, review, and subscribe.’” (15:53, Griffin)
“She’s firmly in her weirdo phase now a little bit. ... She doesn’t really want to play that game.” (23:36, David, summarizing group consensus)
“It is actually designing a perfect anti-Save the Cat. ... You have to, like, live with this.” (43:35, Griffin, on the dog scene)
“I think that’s why there's so much hope around No Hard Feelings is like, wait, you're telling me it's Jennifer Lawrence press interview the movie? That was part of her power.” (37:16, Griffin)
“It does acknowledge all of the ways in which the women get a raw deal… but also is like, I reject that as the reading of this movie.” (102:49, Alison)
“If a movie like this is going to catch on, it needs to catch on organically… you can’t sort of build up a head of ‘need to see’ hype on it.” (143:11, Griffin)

Timestamps: Important Segments

Lawrence as modern movie star/Angelina vs. Lawrence: 01:08–03:00
The David O. Russell problem & Lawrence’s reset: 02:55–06:07, 16:40–18:33
Box Office/Flop Fall context: 12:07–16:15, 130:09–133:00
Die My Love – general impressions: 41:33–43:56
Dog scene and anti-Save the Cat: 42:26–44:56
Motherhood, gender, and isolation: 54:15–104:59
On-set and adaptation details: 62:45–73:58
Cinematography/Aesthetic: 115:19–117:32
Ending analysis: 124:30–126:59
Box office numbers & marketing strategy: 130:09–147:13
Ramsey rankings wrap-up: 161:07–163:01

Panel’s Final Takeaways

Die My Love is admired for Lawrence’s searing, unpredictable performance and Ramsay’s uncompromising direction, but the panel agrees it sits just below Ramsay’s best works due to character imbalances and a relentless tone.
The hosts stress how “viral” star campaign strategies aren’t translating to box office, and that films (especially those as demanding as this) must find audiences organically.
Lawrence, having moved into a more selective “weirdo” phase, is wielding her “blank check” with greater creative control, for better or worse.

Rankings & Wrap-Up

All three rank Die My Love below Ramsay’s masterpieces (Morvern Callar, You Were Never Really Here).
The miniseries ends with anticipation for the next director deep-dive (Peter Weir) and a preview of upcoming episodes and special Patreon content.

For further listening:

Critical Darlings podcast with Alison Willmore (Blank Check Production)
See Blank Check Patreon for the Burger Report special with Matt Johnson & Jay McCarroll

Additional Resources

Listen to the full Blank Check episode for more on the behind-the-scenes context, Lawrence’s evolving brand, and a lively Linda Ramsay filmography recapping.
Subscribe for more director-focused miniseries, both free and on Patreon (Blank Check Special Features).