In Theaters Now
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Leslie Manville
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread lays claim in the first 30 seconds that our “villian” makes the dreams of our “hero” come true. The movie then spends just over two hours telling you how that happens. It’s a great opening line that cannot be believed until you see it play out.
Phantom Thread, on the surface, is a story about Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis). A fictional couture fashion designer in the 1950s. He struggles finding a partner because he is caught up in work and, well, being a huge asshole. He finds a waitress in the country, falls for her, brings her back to London to help with the the fashion house, and gradually the two develop a strong love for each other.
Enter Paul Thomas Anderson.
The way our two main characters, Woodcock and Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps), show their care for each other is some of the most bizarre and well-acted cinema I’ve seen. Your first clue these two wackos are a little off is when Woodcock explains to Alma that her size is off. He explains she is chubby and has no breasts, but that he can change that, if he decides he wants to. This comment somehow earns him an honest smile from Alma. Oh yea, this was their first date.
The couple enter some hard times that are as crazy and weird as you might think they would be if you know PTA. And without giving too much away (the ending makes the movie) the climax is just amazing. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen an ending to a film that made me feel equal parts calamity and joy, both derived from the same event.
The non-narrative aspects of the film are as incredible as any Anderson film. The use of light, from the first scene, is used often to show how little you know of the story. Jonny Greenwood’s score evolves to include themes reminiscent of horror films of recent years (and one scene is as close to horror as you can get in a film that has nothing to do with the genre), which puts you on edge when the tale starts to really turn South.
What is there to say about Daniel Day-Lewis? He is one of the best we’ve ever seen and he shines here. The king of subtle acting gets to do it here, almost exclusively. When this character smiles he looks like he’s pissed. And when he’s pissed he looks like the world is ending. Both Krieps and the Oscar-nominated Leslie Manville (as Woodcock’s sister, Cyril) deliver outstanding performances. When all three are on screen it is a marvel to behold.
Phantom Thread is a story of mishandling love. Devoting too much time into the love of one’s work. Protecting family because you love them. Developing a love for a mentee of sorts and not knowing how to let that grow. And perhaps most importantly, not letting yourself love at all.
Is it Watchlist-worthy? Yes.
