Daniel Day-Lewis Returns in “Anemone,” a Disjointed and Ultimately Unfulfilling Film
NEW YORK – After an eight-year acting hiatus, daniel Day-Lewis has returned to the screen in “Anemone,” a film directed and co-written with his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. Premiering at the New York Film Festival, the movie centers on Jem, who seeks to reconnect with Ray, a former comrade he hasn’t seen in two decades, now living in isolation. The narrative gradually reveals the men’s shared history fighting during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
The film unfolds slowly, focusing heavily on extended monologues-particularly from Day-Lewis-and visually striking but ultimately detached scenes. Ray recounts a pivotal, traumatic day from his time in the British Army. The movie’s structure is described as a series of “loosely related, hot-glued traumatic memories.”
Alongside Day-Lewis, the cast includes Samantha Morton as nessa and Samuel Bottomley as Brian. Scenes featuring Nessa and Brian, set in a suburban home, are presented in a grayscale palette and feature Morton delivering a monologue about Ray. The film also includes sequences of Jem and Ray walking through landscapes, including an empty, fully lit carnival and a beach, intended to be emotionally resonant but described as lacking impact.
Despite Ronan Day-Lewis’ visual flair, the film is criticized for prioritizing aesthetics over character advancement and narrative momentum, becoming “a roadblock to character development and story momentum.” A dramatic hail storm near the film’s conclusion, causing widespread damage, is never addressed again.
Critics suggest that “Anemone” might potentially be a project Day-Lewis would prefer to leave unacknowledged in his celebrated career.
