R | 2h 6m | Drama, Mystery, Fantasy | 2025
Over the course of his five-plus-decade-long career, actor Daniel Day-Lewis has appeared in 22 features. Compared to his contemporaries, this is a relatively small number, less than one movie every two years.
For his efforts, Day-Lewis has been nominated for six Oscars in the Best Lead Actor category, winning three times. No one else has ever won more than two Best Lead Actor Academy Awards, and it’s likely no one ever will.
With “Anemone,” Day-Lewis has come out of “retirement” for a second time. This first occurred in 2002 with “Gangs of New York” at the urging of his eventual co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. The speculation is that Day-Lewis did so this time because the movie is directed by his son Ronan. The screenplay was written by both father and son.
Patience and Tolerance
It should be emphasized in the strongest way possible, “Anemone” is not for everyone. Easily the least commercial film Day-Lewis has ever appeared in, it requires great patience and tolerance for ambiguity. The first act has less than three pages’ worth of traditional dialogue and relies almost fully on imagery to propel the narrative.Set in Northern Ireland in what appears to be the mid 2010s, the movie opens with Ray (Day-Lewis) carrying out his day-to-day chores in and around a one-room, tin-roof cabin. To say Ray’s home is secluded and remote is an understatement. He has no electricity or running water and has had no human contact in decades. He’s a hermit by choice, but not for reasons we might initially suspect.
For reasons not made fully clear until around the 90-minute mark, Ray is visited by his younger brother Jem (Sean Bean). Neither welcoming nor dismissive, Ray allows Jem to stay, but on his terms which, of course, are never spoken.
Finally, after what Jem surely must feel like months instead of days, Ray begins to thaw. The latter cracks open a rare bottle of Scotch which the brothers empty in one sitting.
Show, Don’t Tell
It is implied Brian is AWOL from the Irish Army. The reason or reasons are never provided, although his hands are badly bruised. This is one of many instances where the screenwriters lean heavily into visual narrative shorthand. It’s show, don’t tell.
This method of storytelling petrifies most directors. If overdone or done incorrectly, it can quickly alienate general audiences. The majority of filmgoers are looking for few questions and easy answers; they don’t want to have to think too much. That’s fine; there are plenty of those movies in multitudes of genres that fit the bill.
The Fog
Hanging in the figurative air up until this point like a dense fog is why Ray has avoided his family, and humanity for that matter, for so many years. I’m not going to reveal too much but can say it has something to do with “the Troubles.”For those unaware, the Troubles took place mostly in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s through the late 1990s. It was a civil war in all but name and was fought between Protestants and Catholics as well as pro- and anti-supporters of the British monarchy.
It might sound predictable, but Day-Lewis delivers yet another sterling performance, and an Academy Award nomination is all but a lock. The term G.O.A.T. gets bandied about far too often in both the arts and in sports, but for me, Day-Lewis is the greatest actor of all time.
Great Expectations
For Ronan Day-Lewis, “Anemone” could either be a career maker or career breaker. It’s unfair to judge the future prospects of any director after just one film. Although no one has officially stated so, it’s likely he wouldn’t have gotten the job if not for his father.The expectations for the younger Day-Lewis are even greater due to his mother, filmmaker Rebecca Miller, who is also the daughter of playwright Arthur Miller.
Personally, I think the young director did a phenomenal job. Recalling the works of Stanley Kubrick, Terrence Malick, and Paul Thomas Anderson, he has instantly forged his own style. I hope he gets another opportunity to work behind the camera.
