Anemone (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – In Northern England, a man heads out on a journey into the woods to reconnect with the estranged hermit brother with whom he shared a complicated past that was altered by life-changing events decades ago.

My Take – Indeed, Daniel Day-Lewis is and will always be one of the most celebrated actors who ever lived, with many iconic roles to his name. With The Last of the Mohicans (1992), In the Name of the Father (1993), Gangs of New York (2002), There Will Be Blood (2007), and Lincoln (2012), being among my personal favorites.

But when the three-time Academy Award winner announced, for the umpteenth time, that he would be retiring from acting following filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread (2017), the industry did not expect that to stick. And I guess they were right, as eight years later, the legend is back, not just to star in his son Ronan Day-Lewis‘ feature directorial debut, but father and son also co-wrote the late 1980s set script together.

And while the younger Day-Lewis shows immense potential in laying out the narrative, mixing a rich visual palette with intriguing character beats, the story, which includes theatrical monologues about death and child abuse, and seems aligned on the somber task of peeling back what has not been said for two generations of stoic, war-torn men, it ends up offering something that is too vague to make for an interesting experience.

Add to that the script’s refusal to indulge in the details for the sake of character development creates a pervasive coldness that it just can’t shake off.

Sure, that’s not to say it is terrible film per se, as it definitely means well at its core, is visually fantastic and Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance is as undeniably brilliant as ever. But mostly it is a weird, often pretentious film that might just be one of the dullest I’ve seen in a while. With even its final act not providing the necessary or satisfying emotional climax to justify its existence and its 126 minute runtime.

The story mainly follows Jem Stoker (Sean Bean), who leaves his home, his beleaguered wife Nessa (Samantha Morton), and his troubled teenage son, Brian (Samuel Bottomley), to venture into the woods of Ireland to track down his brother, Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis).

Years ago, after tours of duty during the Troubles, Ray abandoned his family and went off grid into the forest, living a life made up of solitude, and in his absence, the better-adjusted, religious Jem became a husband to Ray’s old flame, Ness, and their unborn child. But Ray’s legacy has been suffocating Brian, and Jem believes only Ray can clear the air. But to do that he needs Ray to leave his self-imposed exile, and that’s not something Ray can do.

While this story sounds simple enough, it becomes much more nuanced and complicated after the reasons that these brothers parted ways are revealed. At its core, it is an exploration of the importance of resolving your issues rather than running from them and the script does a great job of exploring this theme in a way that resonates emotionally despite the specificity of its context.

The dialogue is dense and poetic, and deals with some dark topics in an impressive way, especially when it delves into like sexual abuse and the Irish Troubles. However, it doesn’t work as it intended to, probably, because the film holds no real dramatic tension. Most of its intriguing moments and story elements are told to us rather than shown.

And with no real connection to the characters, who meander just as much as the rest of the film, the story quickly becomes underwhelming and grating. Add to that borderline incoherent and frankly random symbolism, which threaten to derail the film further.

I get it, director Ronan Day-Lewis has a flare for moody hallucinations and had an idea of an image that would look really cool and haunting, but didn’t really know how to effectively weave it into the narrative, so he just threw in a dream sequence. Although some of these more abstract moments like the very first minute of the film is a standout, the others are not.

The saddest thing is that the film seems to have something to say about its core relationships, and yet it’s simultaneously hesitant to do any extensive digging. Which is significantly proven by the fact that Brian and Ray don’t share the screen until the final minute.

At least, the film consistently looks and sounds very good. Ben Fordesman‘s cinematography is stunning, replete with slow, intentional shots of the forest and sharp close-ups of the actors’ faces. And the soundtrack, from the needle drops to the score by Bobby Krlic, does a great job of evoking this haunting mood and atmosphere.

But of course, the biggest strength of film is Daniel Day-Lewis, who once again showcases his monumental talent. The script is structured around several core monologues, which Day-Lewis delivers with staggering authenticity and gripping oration. Alongside him, Sean Bean is subtle and superb as the quieter brother, coaxing his sibling to open up.

Samantha Morton effectively threads the film with quiet sorrow, an anchor when the drama threatens to unravel. Samuel Bottomley is also notable and captures the restless confusion of a youth inheriting wounds. Safia Oakley-Green, as Brian’s love interest, also brings tenderness in brief role. On the whole, ‘Anemone’ is a surprisingly psychological drama that despite its gorgeous cinematography and stellar performances struggles to connect.