Movie Review
Daniel Day-Lewis comes out of retirement for stark film Anemone
Sean Bean and Daniel Day-Lewis in Anemone.
For around 30 years, Daniel Day-Lewis was considered by many to be one of the best working actors, getting nominated for six Best Actor Oscars and winning three of them. Following his sixth nomination in 2018 for Phantom Thread, he announced his retirement at the relatively young age of 61. But now, thanks to his son, he’s gracing the screen yet again in Anemone.
The film, directed by Daniel’s son Ronan and written by both the father and son, finds Daniel playing a hermit named Ray, who lives deep in the woods in rural Ireland. He’s tracked down by his brother Jem (Sean Bean) at the behest of Jem’s wife, Nessa (Samantha Morton). A dalliance between Ray and Nessa many years before resulted in a son, Brian (Samuel Bottomley), and Nessa believes Brian finally meeting his biological father might help quell his growing anger.
The story goes back-and-forth between Ray and Jem at Ray’s remote cabin, and Nessa and Brian at their home, juxtaposing the somewhat tense reunion of the brothers with the sullenness of Brian and quiet despair of Nessa. The moody film is taken further into reflection by a series of atmospheric shots depicting the stark-yet-beautiful Irish landscapes.
Ronan, making his feature directing debut, shows that he already possesses a keen eye, working with cinematographer Ben Fordesman to bring together a number of impressive shots. Scenes featuring Ray stoically chopping wood and walking down the beach, among other things, have a quiet strength to them that help establish the character just as much as Daniel’s acting. There are also some impressive weather sequences that combine practical and special effects seamlessly.
The story, however, is not quite as strong. The film is not dialogue-heavy - Ray says four words in the film’s first 20 minutes, and two of them are “F— you” - and so the audience must get by with brief snippets of conversation that yield small tidbits of information about the characters. What is revealed is dark and deep, but the framework of the film prevents the story from developing the necessary drama.
As the film goes along, it becomes increasingly clear that the filmmakers are more interested in vibes than anything else. While this approach yields some interesting scenes in the first half of the film, the second half is a bit of a slog as each of the characters tries to come to terms with what their individual lives have become. There are some big emotions just begging to come out, but the Irish sensibilities clamp it down.
Despite the film’s story faults, Daniel Day-Lewis shows he hasn’t lost a step since we last saw him on screen. Whether he’s telling a bawdy story or revealing long-held secrets, his ability to get inside the skin of his character is amazing. Bean complements him well, although most of his role is just letting Daniel cook. Morton and Bottomley are fine in their small roles, but the real show is happening elsewhere.
Anemone serves as a great re-introduction to perhaps the finest actor of our time, but even if that’s good enough to get Daniel Day-Lewis yet another Oscar nomination, it doesn’t make for a memorable film overall. Ronan Day-Lewis demonstrates some impressive skills, abilities that will hopefully make his second film even better.
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Anemone is now playing in theaters.
