Phantom Thread: A Masterpiece and an Enigma

Originally written 2/5/2018.

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most versatile and visionary auteurs in Hollywood. Full stop. I could elaborate that he seems to specialize in building period-accurate atmosphere, telling what should be considered off-kilter stories, and using such subtly brilliant camerawork that he’s become the heir apparent to Stanley Kubrick, but I don’t really have to. This is the guy who made 'Boogie Nights,' 'Punch Drunk Love,' and 'Inherent Vice,' you know who he is and how good he is. Even if you don’t and haven’t seen any of his films, he’s been referenced enough in pop culture as a desirable director that your ignorance is your own damn fault at this point. But 'Phantom Thread' might be his most interesting product to date, if for no other reason than its marketing made it almost feel like Anderson didn’t want people to see it. None of the film’s trailers give any hint about the film’s narrative or tone. Frankly, I wouldn’t have seen this movie if a certain critic I put great faith in called it the best movie he’d ever seen. So here we are.

The film has a deceptively simple story. Daniel Day-Lewis, in supposedly his final role, plays Reynolds Woodcock, a famed, pretentious dressmaker in post-WWII London. He meets an attractive French waitress named Alma, played by Vicky Krieps, and the two begin an uneasy affair where Alma serves Woodcock as his muse, model, and eventual wife. But as Alma begins to desire some measure of agency, their relationship becomes strained due to Woodcock’s all-encompassing need for control. The rest of the film plays out as a roadmap for their marriage as they attempt to meld Alma’s desire for a normal romance with Woodcock’s arrogance and ritualistic perfectionism, culminating in a divisive ending that I dare not ruin here.

As stated before, Anderson is an underappreciated master of atmosphere and every single frame of this film screams of 1950s high-class British sensibilities, from the cinematography reminiscent of a Jean Renoir production to the authentic fashion that feels like everyone on set asked to borrow their grandparents’ wardrobe. Speaking of which, the costuming in this film is almost unparalleled. Though it probably won’t win the Best Picture Oscar it’s been nominated for, it’s a little too outside the box for the academy to give it genuine consideration, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see fashion designer Mark Bridges to walk home with the Best Costume award for his fantastic period dress work showcased in the film.

The score is also noteworthy, ranging from intense Han Zimmer-style womps to a classical jazz beat that blends seamlessly into the aforementioned atmosphere. In the same vein of thought, the sound editing is spectacular as well. Usually sound design does its job if you don’t notice it, but here it’s used to emphasize significant plot points that causes intercharacter conflict, making it an even more vital element to the film. Overall, the technical aspects of this film are top notch.

Anderson doesn’t usually let bad performances slip into his movies and with 'Phantom Thread's cast, he doesn’t really have to worry. Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the best method actors alive and seems to take perverse pleasure proving it film after film after film. As Woodcock, he delivers each line with an emphatic and personal gravitas that can only come from an actor deeply identifying with their role. In this case, Woodcock and Day-Lewis are both nominally pretentious artists so obsessed with their work that it borders on and is often confused for atypical neurological conditions. Essentially, nobody else could have played this role so successfully and if Day-Lewis is serious about his retirement, this is a perfect part to bow out with.

But he doesn’t stand alone. Vicky Krieps is the perfect foil to Day-Lewis’s aggressive presentation. She finds a unique balance between demure submission to a demanding force and righteous indignation against the same. Without giving too much away, the central thesis of the film culminates at the end and wouldn’t have half the impact it has if Krieps had leaned even a little bit in either direction. Fortunately, she has the talent and instinct to keep her performance as balanced as a tightrope walker. Lesley Manville continues her streak of knockout performances as Cyril, Woodcock’s no-nonsense sister and financially minded business partner. It takes a formidable screen presence to not only competently measure up to Day-Lewis but occasionally overshadow him in order to put him in his place. Manville comes to play with such a powerful aura of self-control that she makes it look easy.

On the whole, 'Phantom Thread' is a fantastic film. But you knew that already. You saw the cast list, you saw some stills, and you learned who was directing it and you knew it was going to be amazing. But the real genius of 'Phantom Thread' is what it’s saying. And frankly, this is the point where my review of it will have to break down. This is a movie that, over the course of two hours, builds up to an ending that completely re-conceptualizes the entire film and defines how you’re going to feel about it when you walk out of the cinema. It’s not a Shyamalan-style twist or a horror movie jump scare, but it does leave the audience on an unsettling final note that makes it difficult to fathom the true romance and/or toxicity of the central relationship. Hours later, I’m still struggling to figure out just whose story this was and who it was for. Every time I think I understand Anderson’s intent, I’m reminded of a new element of his execution that contradicts my idea and opens up a new line of questioning. And yet, ever decision made in this film’s makeup seems like the natural, logical choice. It's as if 'Phantom Thread' surrounds itself with a warped, confusing maze and then casually takes the only path to the exit. If that seems convoluted and makes no sense to you, then see the movie for yourself and see what I’m talking about. 5/5.

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