Daniel Day-Lewis has “commanding” acting comeback in new British psychological drama

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Daniel Day-Lewis has been retired since 2017 – although he previously took a break from acting between 1997 and 2002. Now, he’s returned with another performance that’s receiving high praise.

The film Anemone delves into the connections between brothers, and also the dynamic between fathers and their sons. It was reportedly directed by the actor’s son, Roman, and they both worked together on writing the script.

The cast also includes Sean Bean, known from This City is Ours, Samantha Morton from The Serpent Queen, Samuel Bottomley of Ackley Bridge, and Safia Oakley-Green who appears in The Lazarus Project.

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The movie debuted at the 2025 New York Film Festival this weekend and will be in US theaters next month. It will also be screened in the UK as part of the BFI Film Festival, also next month.

Since its release, Anemone has earned a 63% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While the movie itself didn’t receive widespread acclaim, critics particularly praised the performance of the main actor.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that Daniel Day-Lewis powerfully returns to acting in a film that doesn’t quite reach the level of his most impactful work. They highlighted that the three-time Oscar winner still possesses a captivating presence. Day-Lewis plays a quiet, withdrawn man who has lived in isolation for twenty years, and his strong performance gives the story some substance, even though the film itself feels somewhat lacking.

ScreenDaily reported that although the younger Day-Lewis shows promise and could develop a strong, focused style for filmmaking, his lack of experience holds back Anemone. The film still benefits from solid performances by Bean and the older Day-Lewis.

I was reading a review in The Telegraph, and they really highlighted how great the two lead actors were. They said Bean was really good – understated, responsive, funny, and just generally on top of his game. And Day-Lewis? Apparently he’s just as amazing as you’d expect – every little movement, look, or expression felt deliberate and impactful. They actually said you could watch these two actors interacting for hours, and that’s pretty much what the movie Anemone delivers for most of its runtime.

A review in the San Francisco Chronicle was quite critical, stating that the film was “the worst Daniel Day-Lewis has ever made, and likely the worst he’ll ever make-unless he and his son decide to make a follow-up.”

For those going to the BFI London Film Festival – happening in various locations throughout the UK – we’ve compiled a list of British films you should consider seeing.

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2025-09-29 18:49