Daniel Day Lewis stars in a film he wrote with his son about two brothers coming together to trying and help the boy fathered by one and raised by the other.
ANENOME is a film that is full of silences, things unsaid while at the same time containing some incredible dialog and a couple of jaw dropping monologs, one of which is about to go into movie lore as one of the best ever written before it rapidly slides into the relam of one of the most over quoted ones. (I won't say more than that because you'll know it when you hear it- and because everyone else will talk about it.) There are images that will take your breath away and some magical realistic images/sequences which will make your jaw drop. Its use of music is often spectacular. It also had a final two minutes that made me tear up.
And for all the truly, best of the year, best of all time moments, the film is just solidly good.
Why is the film just good when the moments soar as high as humanly possible to create? Because the script/narrative isn't as strong as it should be. The film came together because director Ronan Day Lewis wanted to work with his dad. He had an idea about a film about brothers. At the same time his dad had the same idea and they began to work on putting a film together. While they were working on the story of the brothers they realized they needed to add more and along the way they added in the wife and the story of the son. The problem is that the these sequences, particularly the scenes with the son feel half written. The film needs them to make the plot fire up, but they don't really go anywhere since they largely just a young man brooding. It's clear, based on the film, and based on what was said at the post NYFF press screening that they didn't focus on those scenes and only added them because the plot required themand it shows.
The performances are across the board solid. While the role of the son is underwritten Samuel Bottomley nails it and then some, being picture perfect at the end when his physical performance standing silently says every god damned thing it needs to and then some. Samantha Morton as the woman both men love is amazing as always. Sean Bean is staggering as the man trying to save his brother's son. He doesn't say as much as Daniel Day Lewis but when he does it hits home. It's a physical performance for the ages with him seeming smaller than the strong heroes he is usually tasked with playing. He is a man beaten down by the fear for his son and how he hold himself is seen in how he holds himself and moves. Daniel Day Lewis is great. Big and loud he is a force to be recockened with. While everyone is going to be talking about how he delivers the first monolog, it's the second one that is the true joy. Here we watch all the bluster go out of him as the mask slips and the humaity and compassion slides back into his body. It's the moment that makes the ending work.
I really liked the film. More so the more I thought about it. To be certain it isn't perfect, but it's clear that it is the work of a potential master director. I want to see what is next for him - largely because I want to see if he can do more than have a series of great bits in a good narrative- I mean what is going to happen when he makes an across the board great film?
Recommended.
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