At the movies: Day-Lewis shines in final film
One of Hollywood’s favorite leading men stars in the 1950’s drama that also happens to be his swan song.
“Phantom Thread” opens this weekend, and marks Daniel Day-Lewis’ final film before his retirement from acting, as he announced earlier this year. Day-Lewis teamed up again with “There Will Be Blood” director Paul Thomas Anderson, who lately has worked on “Inherent Vice” and “The Master.”
The film, set in London, follows well-known designer Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis, “Last of the Mohicans” and “Gangs of New York”) in an era of dressing the rich and famous, the royalty and socialites of the region. Audiences are also introduced to his sister Cyril (Lelsey Manville, “Another Year” and “Maleficent”).
Alma (Vicky Krieps, “Hanna” and “The Colony”) walks into Woodcock’s world only to leave it in shambles as she becomes his muse. The routines and well-planned world he had created was unraveling at her hands.
According to the media review website, RottenTomatoes.com, 93 percent of users want to see “Phantom Thread,” while it already has a 90 percent fresh rating. Users of the Internet Movie Database have also awarded it 9.2 out of 10 stars to date.
Robert Abele offered Day-Lewis high praise in his review for The Wrap.
“And without a doubt, his portrait of moody, demanding dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock is as richly drawn as you’d expect, if not the kind of turn likely to win him a fourth Oscar,” he said.
“At heart, ‘Phantom Thread’ is a classy, curious fractured fairy tale and, on the runway of Anderon’s career, is a beautiful head-turner,” he continued.
A.A. Dowd also complimented Anderson’s work, particularly the “straightforward” aspect of the period piece, noting that it’s as “tastefully crafted as the haute couture its characters design and wear.”
“But don’t be thrown by the immaculate embroidery,” Dowd wrote. “Paul Thomas Anderson, the justly revered American master who wrote and directed, is too obsessed with the misfit psychologies to make a fusty costume drama.”
“Anderson’s most diabolical trick is woven into the fabric of his style: He’s used perfectionist craft to celebrate the value of imperfection,” Down continued.
The film is rated R for language.
Other movies that are arriving in theaters this weekend include:
n “All the Money in the World” featuring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Charlie Plummer and Christopher Plummer, directed by Ridley Scott, follows a kidnapping and ransom scheme.
The film is rated R.
n “Molly’s Game” featuring Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner and Michael Cera, directed by Aaron Sorkin, is about Olympic-class skier Molly Bloom.
The film is rated R.
n “In the Fade” directed by Fatih Akin, starring Diane Kruger, Denis Moschitto, Numan Acar and Samia Muriel Chancrin, follows a mother and wife’s revenge story.
The film is rated R.