Daniel Day-Lewis returns in ‘Anemone,’ a flimsy vehicle that can’t contain his gale-force intensity

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The first time we see Daniel Day-Lewis in “Anemone,” it’s from behind, but he’s instantly recognizable. He’s chopping wood outside the simple cabin of the character he plays, deep in a remote location, and he swings the ax repeatedly with intense concentration. When he was at his peak – which was frequent – Day-Lewis approached acting with a raw, directness. It’s fitting that his return to film after announcing his retirement in 2017 is in a movie that shares that same, unadorned, fundamental feel. He didn’t simply help write this story of two distant brothers uncovering their difficult past – he fills it with his personality, giving it its very purpose.

“Anemone” is more than just a story about family; it’s a film *created* by a father and son. It marks the first feature film directed by Ronan Day-Lewis, who co-wrote the script with his Oscar-winning father. Ronan, primarily recognized as a painter within New York’s modern art scene, tells the story of a group of static scenes and characters who are slowly awakening from a state of emotional numbness.

The movie begins in England, around the mid-1990s, with Jem (Sean Bean) leaving his sad partner, Nessa (Samantha Morton), and his struggling son, Brian (Samuel Bottomley), to go into the forest. He’s hoping to reconnect with his younger brother, Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis), whom he hasn’t spoken to in two decades. Jem is a very religious man – a stern tattoo reading “Only God Can Judge Me” is visible on his back – and he’s on a journey with a purpose that unfolds gradually. When he reaches Ray’s cabin, Ray somehow *knows* it’s him even before seeing him. They sit in silence for several painfully long minutes, accompanied by the gentle sound of Black Sabbath’s haunting song “Solitude.” This tense quiet is just the first of many power struggles between the two brothers, neither of whom is willing to back down. It’s a story about reconnection and conflict.

Daniel Day-Lewis, now 68, hasn’t appeared in a film since Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread,” and he embodies Ray with a stoic presence. His short hair and prominent gray goatee create the impression of a man not simply surviving off the grid, but truly flourishing there. Lean and athletic, with a hint of untamed energy in his eyes, Ray shares a similar intensity with Day-Lewis’ characters like Bill the Butcher from “Gangs of New York” and Daniel Plainview in “There Will Be Blood.” The film hints at a troubled past for Ray, stemming from his time serving in the British military during the Troubles in Northern Ireland-a painful history that will eventually be addressed. His brother, a fellow veteran, has come to discuss a personal matter, but the trauma they both experienced during the conflict is the core issue they must face. This is a key element of the story.

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Filmed in the Welsh countryside by Ben Fordesman, “Anemone” is primarily set in a large forest, with Ronan Day-Lewis adding a sense of epic scale and intensity. Bobby Krlic’s melancholic music shifts between dreamy and unsettling, often stopping suddenly mid-song. Silent scenes show Jem and Ray either dancing or boxing, stripping their long-standing conflict down to its basic themes of tough masculinity and the competition between brothers. The director, who is also an artist, includes a memorable image from one of his paintings-a see-through, horse-like being-as a recurring visual element, though it feels more heavy-handed than truly artistic.

This isn’t the first time Daniel Day-Lewis has collaborated with family. Two decades ago, he appeared in his wife Rebecca Miller’s film, “The Ballad of Jack and Rose,” a story about a father and daughter. Both that movie and “Anemone” focus on men who’ve chosen to live apart from others, but find it hard to maintain that lifestyle. However, both films also feel overly dramatic, a trait that is particularly noticeable in “Anemone.” From Morton’s consistently frowning face in the brief glimpses of Brian’s home life to the obvious use of dark, stormy skies, the film heavily foreshadows trouble. Even the few humorous moments in “Anemone” seem muted, as the burden of this family’s Dark Past is so intense that any sense of joy or ease is suppressed.

As you’d expect, Day-Lewis nearly manages to make the film’s heavy sadness truly impactful. “Anemone” gives him the chance to be powerfully emotional when his character, Ray, delivers a deeply unsettling monologue about a disturbing encounter with a priest who abused children when he was young. Later, the film reveals the reason Ray left everything behind, and Day-Lewis gives a heartfelt confession. While it doesn’t offer a new perspective on the horrors of war, it’s still powerfully moving because of how he portrays his usually reserved character finally releasing years of anger and shame in waves of emotion.

Even when Daniel Day-Lewis portrays intense, almost explosive anger, he always maintains an underlying sense of control. He uses his height and tense posture to suggest the powerful or threatening emotions simmering beneath the surface. (His characters’ outbursts are startling, but feel foreshadowed.) For Ray, a character consumed by anger who rejects religion, emotion, and forgiveness, his brother’s appearance is disruptive. Even when they begin to reconcile, Day-Lewis keeps his performance tightly wound, suggesting he’s prepared to react, and their delicate peace feels perpetually fragile and easily broken.

Honestly, while watching, I found myself frustrated with Jem. Like a lot of the characters here, he just isn’t developed enough. This forces Ethan Bean to rely on portraying a sort of generic, intense masculinity, and it makes their confrontations feel more like acting showcases than genuine moments of conflict. The scenes *are* energetic, sure, but also feel a little too… deliberate. You end up appreciating the performers’ skill more than the story itself, which too often feels like just a vehicle for delivering sadness dressed up as profound insight.

It’s great news that Daniel Day-Lewis has decided to come out of retirement, even if just for now. However, the film “Anemone” tries too hard to be impressive, while its star naturally delivers a powerful performance. Throughout the movie’s somewhat affected portrayal of an approaching storm, he still shines as a genuinely captivating presence.

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2025-10-04 02:01