Haunting, beautiful and stunning. An elegant bow-out for Daniel Day-Lewis.
Set in 1950's London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.
I think one has a certain expectation of this film, it looks, for lack of better words, “boring.” However, upon watching I soon realised that the film is delightfully filled with unusual twists and turns, akin to classic Hitchcock. It is certainly the most surprising and confusing film I’ve seen this Oscar season. Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted a thing of beauty with stunning cinematography, music and characters.
The performers really bring this to life though, with both Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville offering career defining performances. However, Daniel Day-Lewis steals every scene he’s in. There’s an understated nature to his performance that perfectly balances monotony and menace. As his final film (he announced his retirement at 70 late last year) he picked a winner.
Overall a film that is shocking and captivating. A must see.
4 Stars
Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay
Screening courtesy of Universal Entertainment