A
fascinating character study set in the fashion world, Phantom Thread focuses on a volatile relationship that pivots
around a self-centered, temperamental designer and his insulated world. It features a strong performance by Daniel
Day-Lewis.
Fashion designer,
Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis), is a demanding man whose lifestyle is a ritual
that serves his creativity as he churns out unique dresses for royalty and VIPs. When
he stops by an inn to clear his head, his attention is drawn to a waitress,
Alma (Vicky Krieps). For a time, Alma becomes
a part of his world, serving as one of his seamstresses and assistants, but in time,
her needs emerge and conflict with Reynolds’ stifling world. Desperate to salvage their relationship, she
devises a highly unorthodox plan to bring them together.
Reynolds
is somewhat of an enigma in that we don’t very much about him other than his
talent. He has a headstrong, protective sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville), and is
haunted by and obsessed with his deceased mother. Everything
in his world follows a methodology, and he is almost always preoccupied with his
work, expressing himself through his dresses with meticulous precision. He has no patience when Alma disturbs his
routine and tradition; this is the essence of the film’s main conflict.
Director
Paul Thomas Anderson’s (There Will Be
Blood, Magnolia) finely tuned screenplay catches the subtleties and nuances
of these characters. The cinematography beautifully highlights the sumptuous costumes
and set design.
It’s essentially a psychological
examination into the evolution of an unhealthy relationship and obsessive
behavior that starts with hope and optimism then devolves into reality and
dysfunction, all
done under Anderson’s detailed eye.
*** of ****stars (add ½* for Day-Lewis fans)
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