Phantom Thread (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Phantom Thread' (written/directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Boogie Nights, The Master) tells a strange psychosexual tale of jealousy & power set in London's fashion world in the 1950s. Daniel Day-Lewis claims that this role will be his last on film. To that, he gives it his all, playing renowned haute couture designer Reynolds Woodcock; a self-absorbed, impulsive, OCD perfectionist who creates masterpieces for rich women. Impeccably groomed, overbearing Reynolds demands that his elegant London townhouse runs like a well-oiled machine. He lives with his ubiquitous spinster sister/business partner, Cyril (Lesley Manville), who protects him from distractions, keeps matters running smoothly & provides a buffer btwn. him anyone who threatens to burst the bubble in which he works. She's also quick to dismiss his plentitude of mistresses/muses after he tires of them.
One day, while escaping the city for a seaside respite, Reynolds ducks into a diner & is entranced by waitress, Alma (Vicky Krieps). He invites her to dinner and, before long, she moves into his London house to function as model, muse & lover. But her passive aggressive presence becomes a bother to Reynolds and their relationship starts to deteriorate when Alma sees that she just might be another one of his 'conquests'; it also doesn't help that the curious bond btwn. Reynolds & sister Cyril is impervious. BUT. Alma isn't like the other women that Reynolds disposes of. She's made of sterner stuff, asserts some control over the situation and, after a romantic attempt to get them back on track proves fruitless ... she tries something shockingly dangerous that reveals darker facets of BOTH their personalities.
'Phantom Thread' is one gorgeous-looking, beautifully-acted film. For the 1st half hour, I saw why so many critics refer to this film as a masterpiece -- I was riveted & engaged. The middle section is solid, too -- I just wanted to get to the end to see what in the world would happen to these enigmatic characters. But then the ending happened. Most people seem to love what occurs. Me? I found it a bit inauthentic to the characters at hand and, truthfully, just a bit bizarre. Now, nothing surprises me in life anymore. I've seen & read many a true story of crazy people doing crazy things; or allowing for crazy things to happen to them. This kind of 'crazy' occurs in the final moments of the film. But given the characters (and their traits), I have a hard time believing the trajectory of what happens.
Many people praise the last section of the film as fascinating because it peels back a certain veneer of the Reynolds/Alma relationship. But the 'love' story here is so warped that I left my theater trying to make sense of it and make amends with my overall feelings – time may be kind to this movie, for me; that has happened many times before with me. As mentioned, I cannot fault the fabulous attributes of 'Phantom Thread'. Some viewers may become restless by the unhurried pacing (a la those Merchant/Ivory productions from the 1980s/90s), but I enjoyed luxuriating in the mood & look of the film. And what a look! Mark Tildesley transports us back to 1950s London with his amazing period sets. Mark Bridges creates some truly astonishing vintage costumes. And aurally, Johnny Greenwood provides an exquisite score that's as sinister as it is classical.
Daniel Day-Lewis gives a commanding performance as the seductive, devil-may-care Reynolds Woodcock. One moment I despised him, the next I saw his vulnerability and, overall, it's just another superbly humanistic portrayal -- I hope it's not his last. Luxembourg's Vicky Krieps is described as a new Meryl Streep and, given her performance here, I can see that why there are the comparisons. Krieps underplays Alma as naive & besotted for much of the proceedings. But that's a bit of a facade as she's actually more manipulative & determined. And for my money, the best character is that of austere Cyril, played brilliantly by Lesley Manville. She does so much with her eyes & spiky line readings. And I looked forward to her popping into to any scene just to see if I could figure her out; does she control her brother or vice-versa? What are her true feelings of Alma? You know, 'Phantom Thread' is laudable in so many ways. It's grand; mischievous; gothic. Though the storyline is minimal, character interaction is immersive. I just wrestle with the ending.
One day, while escaping the city for a seaside respite, Reynolds ducks into a diner & is entranced by waitress, Alma (Vicky Krieps). He invites her to dinner and, before long, she moves into his London house to function as model, muse & lover. But her passive aggressive presence becomes a bother to Reynolds and their relationship starts to deteriorate when Alma sees that she just might be another one of his 'conquests'; it also doesn't help that the curious bond btwn. Reynolds & sister Cyril is impervious. BUT. Alma isn't like the other women that Reynolds disposes of. She's made of sterner stuff, asserts some control over the situation and, after a romantic attempt to get them back on track proves fruitless ... she tries something shockingly dangerous that reveals darker facets of BOTH their personalities.
'Phantom Thread' is one gorgeous-looking, beautifully-acted film. For the 1st half hour, I saw why so many critics refer to this film as a masterpiece -- I was riveted & engaged. The middle section is solid, too -- I just wanted to get to the end to see what in the world would happen to these enigmatic characters. But then the ending happened. Most people seem to love what occurs. Me? I found it a bit inauthentic to the characters at hand and, truthfully, just a bit bizarre. Now, nothing surprises me in life anymore. I've seen & read many a true story of crazy people doing crazy things; or allowing for crazy things to happen to them. This kind of 'crazy' occurs in the final moments of the film. But given the characters (and their traits), I have a hard time believing the trajectory of what happens.
Many people praise the last section of the film as fascinating because it peels back a certain veneer of the Reynolds/Alma relationship. But the 'love' story here is so warped that I left my theater trying to make sense of it and make amends with my overall feelings – time may be kind to this movie, for me; that has happened many times before with me. As mentioned, I cannot fault the fabulous attributes of 'Phantom Thread'. Some viewers may become restless by the unhurried pacing (a la those Merchant/Ivory productions from the 1980s/90s), but I enjoyed luxuriating in the mood & look of the film. And what a look! Mark Tildesley transports us back to 1950s London with his amazing period sets. Mark Bridges creates some truly astonishing vintage costumes. And aurally, Johnny Greenwood provides an exquisite score that's as sinister as it is classical.
Daniel Day-Lewis gives a commanding performance as the seductive, devil-may-care Reynolds Woodcock. One moment I despised him, the next I saw his vulnerability and, overall, it's just another superbly humanistic portrayal -- I hope it's not his last. Luxembourg's Vicky Krieps is described as a new Meryl Streep and, given her performance here, I can see that why there are the comparisons. Krieps underplays Alma as naive & besotted for much of the proceedings. But that's a bit of a facade as she's actually more manipulative & determined. And for my money, the best character is that of austere Cyril, played brilliantly by Lesley Manville. She does so much with her eyes & spiky line readings. And I looked forward to her popping into to any scene just to see if I could figure her out; does she control her brother or vice-versa? What are her true feelings of Alma? You know, 'Phantom Thread' is laudable in so many ways. It's grand; mischievous; gothic. Though the storyline is minimal, character interaction is immersive. I just wrestle with the ending.