Even though Phantom Thread was released around the Christmas time last year, I hadn't seen the movie until tonight. Foggy, humid and almost breathless throughout the day, it was getting colder and clearer at the night time. I wandered through the main street in downtown. The windows of designer shops were illuminated delightfully, which lifted up my spirits.
Phantom Thread was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. To his style, the plot was rather linear, straight-forward and simple. Reynolds Woodcock, a tyrannical dressmaker in London in the 1950's, encountered Alma, a gorgeous and vivid waitress in a country restaurant. Impressed by Alma's confidence and ease with his excessive order, Reynolds invited her to his cottage. Cyril, Reynolds' devoted sister, took the measures of Alma without being asked to do so, just like a pre-wired machine were turned on. Reynolds made a dress for Alma. Alma became his muse and model.
Most of the scenes took place in a quite townhouse in London. Reynolds, fastidious about every detail of his life, lived in his own small empire. The empire was founded on his extraordinary talents, clients' various and sophisticated perceptions on his costumes, and a crew of unconditionally committed and disciplined seamstresses. Cyril managed his business.
Alma became Reynolds' companion. She tried to engage Reynolds in a close relationship, while he, by instinct, shunned from any attempt to achieve intimacy. A quarrel occurred in a rather tense atmosphere, because Alma broke Reynolds' daily routine by arranging a romantic dinner for just him and her. Reynolds lost temper on the butter in the vegetables. Alma talked back, disapproved of his fuss, pretention and ostentation. Power oscillated between the partners. Thereafter, even though Cyril, fond of Alma, suggested she should leave, Alma remained.
Reynolds couldn't keep up with fashions. Unable to cope with disappointment and failure, Reynolds lost composure. A true self was unveiled. Alma took good care of him and got closer to him.
Reynolds proposed and Alma accepted. Tension between the husband and the wife lasted into the marriage. Alma conspired to weaken Reynolds' health and will by adding poisonous mushroom in his omelet. A physically weaker Reynolds opened up to her.
Beautiful gardens and outdoor landscapes replaced the somber townhouse in the final part of the movie. Reynolds, still uncomfortable with noises caused by Alma's swipes on the bread, ultimately stepped outside his narrow comfort zone. They had a baby.
Daniel Day-Lewis, my all time favorite male actor, meticulously crafted a seemingly strong and authoritative control freak. "I can't begin my day with a confrontation!" he declared to Alma's predecessor, completely ignoring how she would feel about his cold and ruthless tone. Beneath the hard surface, he was too weak to handle any imperfection in products or life. Daniel Day Lewis, as always, carried out even the strongest emotion in a very well contained way. When tension grew, he used his tone, speech speed, his gaze and facial expressions rather than any body language or movement to pour out the emotion of the character and pull the audience into the atmosphere, which was magnificent.
Vicky Krieps, an actress new to me, just like her heroine, was not overshadowed by the male character's glamour. In contrast to Alma's predecessor, whose blind and helpless gaze seemed to foretell Alma's destiny, Alma resisted to be another girl in Reynolds' life without a fight. She made all the efforts to be relevant, essential and even dominant in the relationship. Vicky also tried her best to be an equal to Daniel. Unlike Daniel's manipulation, Vicky's emotions came out naturally and sincerely. The audience always felt about her loneliness, insecurity, determination and love deep out of her heart.
Shortly after the release, the movie received 6 nominations for the 90th Oscar Awards.
