Few films have dealt with obsession, possession and love in quite the same way as Phantom Thread. The experience is a roller coaster ride of emotions, taking you from anger to sympathy to disbelief and it all ends with a finish that few will have seen coming.
Daniel Day-Lewis in his reportedly last ever role, goes out in fine style with an incredibly nuanced performance that also floods you with different emotions. One minute you see this dressmaker’s genius, then the next all his flaws come flooding out.
Those that live in this rarified world of money and fashion (even in the fifties) have a aura of unreality that suits this story well. Daniel Day-Lewis’ character Reynolds Woodcock is so far removed from the lives of the average man that it never really strikes him the absurdity of having so many people to look after his every whim.
The film’s sumptuous look and finely detailed script put the onus on the viewer to dig deep to get the most out of the experience. Things are told with subtlety and require attention. Also to be commended is Jonny Greenwood’s outstanding film score that also comes way out of left field considering his day job as the guitarist in Radiohead.
Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/PhantomThread
