The world has changed so much that some things that happened only a decade ago now seem like a distant and increasingly difficult to comprehend past. One of the best examples is the decision of Daniel Day-Lewis, the English actor and three-time Oscar winner, to simply end his career. That decision coincided with the premiere of Phantom Thread, Paul Thomas Anderson's film in which Day-Lewis played the lead role. Day-Lewis's long absence from the big screen was, in fact, not so inexplicable given the English actor's habit of taking multi-year breaks between roles. And for that reason, part of the critical community was somewhat disappointed at the thought that Phantom Thread, a film they were not overly enthusiastic about, could have been Day-Lewis's last. However, given the economic and other parameters that have changed so dramatically of late, only few years later, during dark days of COVID pandemic, it seemed likely that, even if he were to change his mind, Phantom Thread could remain his final film.
In the film, Day-Lewis plays the character of Reynolds Woodcock, a London fashion designer who, in the 1950s, creates expensive dresses for the British and neighbouring countries’ aristocracy. Business is excellent, thanks in large part to his sister Cyril (Leslie Manville), who manages the finances and looks after the support staff, including the models with whom Reynolds tends to have short-lived love affairs. After ending one such affair, in an effort to replenish his creative resources, Reynolds travels to his native village where he meets Alma (Vicky Krieps) in a local restaurant – a pretty waitress whose accent betrays foreign origins. Reynolds falls head over heels in love with her and decides to make her his model and new muse. At first, Alma is delighted with life in the luxurious house, but over time Reynolds's perfectionism and sensitivity come to the fore, as does Alma's unwillingness to cater to his every whim. This begins to affect their romantic relationship, but Alma, before becoming Reynolds's ex-lover, decides to prevent that in a rather bizarre way that could very easily give her romantic idyll a tragic ending.
Day-Lewis's fans may have reason to be sad that Phantom Thread is his last film, but they also have reason to be satisfied because the great actor has delivered yet another masterful performance. As many times before, he immerses himself so thoroughly in the role that it is easy for viewers to forget they are watching Daniel Day-Lewis and instead truly see the character of Reynolds Woodcock. The character is brilliantly acted, offering a very good character study of a middle-aged man who has yet to heal the traumas of his childhood and who still cannot reconcile his professional and private life. Day-Lewis is more than ably partnered by the relatively unknown Luxembourgish actress Vicky Krieps, who very effectively shades between the stereotypes of a femme fatale, a cynical manipulator, and a woman prone to potentially self-destructive outbursts. Lesley Manville also did a very good job; her character is initially presented as extremely antipathetic, only gradually becoming something akin to a voice of reason in this bizarre love story.
However, the top-tier cast was not enough for Paul Thomas Anderson to replicate the successes of his early career. The film suffers from a serious problem with pacing and excessive length, so that certain scenes are truly unnecessary, while others – such as the episode with the arrogant client and her "problematic" tycoon husband – are inserted merely as an obligatory reference to the Holocaust, without which many AMPAS voters could not imagine the Oscars. A disappointing impression also comes from Jonny Greenwood's score, which is of rather uneven quality and gives certain scenes an unnecessary and irritating "artsy-snobbish" charge. Nevertheless, when all is said and done, Phantom Thread is still a solid and more than watchable film, and looked even better in times when we were troubled by far more serious problems than no longer being able to see an artist like Daniel Day-Lewis in new works.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
(Note: The text in the original Croatian version is available here.)
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