Daniel Day-Lewis Returns in “Anemone,” a Family Drama Steeped in Gloom
A celebrated actor’s return to the screen after a five-year hiatus is marked by a film as stark and elemental as his renowned performances. “Anemone,” directed by Ronan Day-Lewis and starring his father, Daniel Day-Lewis, explores the fraught relationship between two estranged brothers, offering a compelling, if relentlessly somber, cinematic experience.
The film, which arrives in wide release on Friday, October 3, is not simply a story about family; it’s a deeply personal collaboration. Ronan Day-Lewis, primarily known as a painter, makes his feature directorial debut alongside his Oscar-winning father, having co-written the screenplay. This father-son dynamic imbues the film with an undeniable intimacy, a sense that the story is being excavated from the very core of their shared history.
Set in England during the mid-1990s, “Anemone” opens with Jem (Sean Bean) embarking on a journey to reconnect with his younger brother, Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis), after two decades of silence. Jem, a deeply religious man—a fact visually emphasized by the tattoo “Only God Can Judge Me” across his back—leaves behind his melancholy partner, Nessa (Samantha Morton), and troubled son, Brian (Samuel Bottomley), to venture into the Welsh countryside. The initial encounter between the brothers is powerfully understated; Ray seems to know Jem is there before even laying eyes on him, leading to several minutes of agonizing silence punctuated only by the strains of Black Sabbath’s “Solitude.”
Day-Lewis, at 68, embodies Ray with a physicality that is both imposing and unsettling. Described as appearing “carved out of stone,” with close-cropped hair and a gray goatee, he projects the image of a man who not only lives off the grid but thrives in isolation. The performance echoes the intensity of his previous roles, such as Bill the Butcher in “Gangs of New York” and Daniel Plainview in “There Will Be Blood,” showcasing a familiar antagonism. The film slowly reveals that Ray’s history is deeply scarred by his experiences as a member of the British military during the Troubles, a past trauma that festers beneath the surface.
The film’s visual landscape, captured by cinematographer Ben Fordesman, is equally stark and evocative. Shot largely in a sprawling Welsh forest, “Anemone” benefits from Ronan Day-Lewis’s artistic eye, lending the drama a mythic grandeur. Bobby Krlic’s score further enhances the atmosphere, shifting between dreamy and eerie, often cutting out abruptly to heighten the tension. Interludes of Jem and Ray dancing or sparring as boxers serve as wordless expressions of their simmering feud, reducing their conflict to its most primal elements. The director also incorporates imagery from his own oil paintings, including a translucent horselike creature, though this motif proves more visually striking than narratively resonant.
This is not the first time Day-Lewis has collaborated closely with family. Twenty years ago, he starred in his wife Rebecca Miller’s film, “The Ballad of Jack and Rose.” Both films explore the theme of solitary men attempting to escape society, only to find that such isolation is unsustainable. However, both also share a tendency toward “an excess of dramatic seriousness,” as one observer noted. The film’s unrelenting gloom—from Morton’s perpetually scowling expressions to the ever-present looming gray clouds—leaves little room for levity.
Despite the film’s overall somber tone, Day-Lewis delivers a performance that nearly transcends it. He is particularly captivating during a disturbing monologue about a childhood encounter with a pedophiliac priest and a later, tearful confession about the lasting impact of war. Even in moments of explosive rage, Day-Lewis maintains a masterful control, hinting at the power beneath the surface. “When his characters explode, it’s shocking, and yet we somehow knew the blast was imminent,” a critic observed.
However, the film’s strength is somewhat undermined by its underdevelopment of other characters. Bean, as Jem, relies on “generalized manly intensity” due to a lack of depth in his character’s writing, resulting in interactions that feel more like “actorly exercises” than genuine emotional exchanges. The story, at times, feels like a mere vehicle for misery, disguised as profound truth.
Despite these shortcomings, the return of Daniel Day-Lewis to the screen is cause for celebration. While “Anemone” may strain for a greatness that its star effortlessly embodies, Day-Lewis remains a true force of nature, elevating the film amidst its self-conscious depiction of a brewing tempest.
‘Anemone’
Rated: R, for language throughout
Running time: 2 hours, 1 minute
Playing: In wide release Friday, Oct. 3
