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Led by Daniel Day-Lewis, 'Phantom Thread' sidesteps expectations

film review

Daniel Day-Lewis plays dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock in Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, "Phantom Thread."
Daniel Day-Lewis plays dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock in Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, "Phantom Thread."

Six years after signing the Emancipation Proclamation in “Lincoln,” Daniel Day-Lewis is back for (possibly) the final role of his career as Reynolds Woodcock in “Phantom Thread.” The film marks the second collaboration between the British thespian and director Paul Thomas Anderson, the same duo responsible for the tour-de-force that is “There Will Be Blood.” Like that movie, “Phantom Thread” executes upon its simple premise to serve up a complex character piece in unexpected fashion.

From only having seen the trailers, I was expecting an exceptionally well-made, but nonetheless derivative, love story about a neurotic dressmaker with a serious case of arrested development falling for a woman who sees the light inside of him. Yet, as I should have assumed given the level of talent involved with the movie, “Phantom Thread” offers a much more layered narrative, permitting a multitude of lenses through which to watch the film. Whether it’s the romance, the character studies or the jokeless comedy, “Phantom Thread” succeeds in each of these areas. To what degree is a different matter. 

Beginning with its core strength, the film features several incredible performances, especially from its two leads. Certainly his most identifiable trait, Day-Lewis’s dedication to method acting helps him create characters that are as lifelike as possible. After all, this is the same actor who remained wheelchair-bound and requested spoon-fed meals for the entirety of the filming of “My Left Foot” in order to portray a paralyzed man. For their sheer mythical value, I’m hoping similar stories soon emerge about Day-Lewis’s on-set antics to prepare for his exceptional turn as Woodcock. The fastidious couturier transcends the screen through every flustered expression crossing his face and charged piece of dialogue escaping his mouth, often forcing the viewer to imagine the prospect of interacting with the couturier in the same way one might with any difficult colleague. As a result, Day-Lewis’s performance lends considerable sympathy to those obliged to do so within the film.

Chief among his victims is Alma, portrayed by Vicky Krieps, a young waitress who becomes enamored with the splendor of Woodcock’s lifestyle. Remarkably, Krieps embraces the daunting task of playing Pippen to Day-Lewis’s Jordan and runs away as the real star of “Phantom Thread.” Expressing both passion and resentment for her lover on a fluctuating basis, Alma experiences an arc that descends into a calculated madness.

Like Woodcock, Alma wishes to shape her relationship in a way that best suits her needs. The execution of this desire, however, and Woodcock’s respective response, left me with a problematic final impression of “Phantom Thread.” Without revealing too much, I’m still struggling a week later to accept the decisions made by the two protagonists in the final act of the film based on their past actions and personalities. Does Anderson wish to tell us that love can be expressed and achieved through unusual means for different people? Or that Alma represents a model for strong feminism in the face of toxic modern romances? Whatever the case, I want nothing to do with anything resembling the frightening nature of Woodcock and Alma’s relationship.  

Although most of the quote-end-quote “action” occurs toward the end of “Phantom Thread,” I also found the final act of the film bloated almost to the point of boredom. About 90 minutes into the movie, the story seemed to arrive at a logical point of conclusion. While the important character moments which follow remain memorable, each could have functioned during earlier stages in the film and yielded an identical outcome. I experienced a similar sentiment with “There Will Be Blood,” in which the story suddenly jumps decades into the future for its final 20 minutes. Similarly, the structure of “Phantom Thread” leaves the concluding chapter feeling tacked-on and unnecessary to the story at-large.

Despite its flaws, “Phantom Thread” is a glorious vehicle for two actors at the height of their game and probably the most unique comedy I’ve ever watched. Coming into my screening, I expected a serious drama about dresses and love. And yes, “Phantom Thread” will play along these lines for certain audiences. In my lively theater, however, every absurd mannerism of Woodcock’s man-child persona drew chuckles and outright laughter from the movie-goers around me. 

As always, Anderson gives us a piece that dances between genres and offers up a little something to appease most viewers. Come for Day-Lewis or the dresses, but stay for Krieps, the comedy, the gorgeous cinematography, the beautiful orchestral score and a film that soars tantalizingly close to greatness. 

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