On the surface, Phantom Thread seems like a typical period costume drama, emphasis on costume. Set in post-war London, the film centers on Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis), a renowned dressmaker and confirmed bachelor. On a weekend in the country, he meets Alma (Vicky Krieps), a young, strong-willed immigrant who becomes his latest muse and lover. Stubborn and set in his ways, he finds his regimented life disordered by this new presence in the House of Woodcock. While the characters and plot seem almost archetypal, writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson takes the narrative in unexpected directions, crafting a story driven by two very different psychologies.
Day-Lewis is as transformative an actor as ever, giving Woodcock fantastically realized depth as he shifts from austere demands for control to tender moments of intimacy. Woodcock is an artist driven by his creative cycle. If this is indeed Day-Lewis’ final performance, it’s fitting that his character is an artistic master. Krieps gives Alma a natural warmth but also a steeliness that works perfectly against Day-Lewis. The pair’s interactions oscillate between romantic comedy-esque humor and a building, foreboding tension. Although a film about creation, Phantom Thread is haunted by the feeling that its intricately crafted characters are about to unravel.
Should you see it? Yes, it’s a beautiful and surprising film.
Viewed at Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema
