Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps, Camilla Rutherford, Gina McKee, Brian Gleeson, Harriet Sansom Harris, Phyllis MacMahon, Richard Graham, Silas Carson, Martin Dew, Tim Ahern, Julia Davis, Jane Perry
Soundtrack: Jonny Greenwood
It’s funny. I tend to think of Paul Thomas Anderson as Robert Altman 2.0, what with all the sprawling stories, loads of characters, and overlapping dialogue (lotta strands in old Duder’s head, as it were), but there’s another side to his work that’s much more Kubrickian in its focus, and that is where Phantom Thread falls into.
In fact, if I were to pick one other film to compare Phantom Thread to, it would be Barry Lyndon, in that both are meticulously auteured period pieces committed to an insane level of realism that follow men the audience will likely find difficult to accept, in addition to having musical scores that are characters as much as anyone on screen (which is one thing you don’t exactly pick up from the trailer, even though that piece of music is used in the film, because so much of Jonny Greenwood’s score is just pure piano, not unlike the drums of Birdman).
The key difference between the two, other than their respective time periods being roughly two-hundred years apart (and the fact that I like Phantom Thread much, much more), is that whereas Barry Lyndon consists mostly of adaptation (both in the screenplay and the score), Phantom Thread is more wholly original. Where, how, or why Paul Thomas Anderson came up with such a British story after twenty-plus years of distinctly American films, I have no idea, but he seems to have a handle on it, so, kudos to him.
Back to that Kubrickian focus though, you can essentially pare down this movie to three performances: Daniel Day-Lewis as Reynolds Woodcock, Lesley Manville as his sister Cyril, and Vicky Krieps as his lover Alma. The emotional triangle (I use “emotional” quite specifically, because there’s no incest, just in case you were wondering) between the characters is what drives almost the entire story, and the actors certainly fill the shoes brilliantly. It’s not the flashiest role for Day-Lewis to end his career on (if this really is the end of his career), no mustaches to grow or accents to master, but it’s not a bad one to go out on either.
One warning I must give you is that this is not a movie to be seen on an empty stomach. Despite the film centering around fashion (which, if you’re a dedicated follower thereof, you’ll have a veritable feast for your eyes), there are more than enough dining scenes to make you regret not having eaten beforehand. In fact, if you have the means, get yourself to a pub and order up a full English (or Irish) breakfast before heading to the theater.
Beyond that I’m not really sure what else to say. I personally didn’t get enough out of Phantom Thread that I’d say I loved it, it’s really one of those films that I appreciate more than I outright enjoy, but at the same time I have no hesitation in saying that it’s worth seeing, if only because it’s (probably) the last movie for Daniel Day-Lewis.
And, much like a dress from the house of Woodcock, it is meticulously well-crafted.
Rating: ★★★★☆