Phantom Thread is one of those films that you don't see every day. It defies expectations, and I had to think for a while to determine how I felt about the film. In other words, it's very much a Paul Thomas's Anderson film. This stylish and confused "love story" is the type of script that makes me wonder how it came to be.
It is a bit difficult to discuss Phantom Thread without encroaching the magic and mystery that defines it. In short, the story follows a prestigious, eccentric dressmaker who charms a young woman. The film centers on these two characters, and that is the essence of the film. While this may seem to be an unremarkable premise, the nature of these characters drive the film. Unique, mysterious, and unexpected, the twists and turns of their sentiments and decisions keep the plot moving subtly along. Daniel Day-Lewis maintains complexity and depth that makes him one of my favourite actors, and his performance here does not fail to impress. Meanwhile, Vicky Krieps is the perfect acting counterpart, exhibiting the same poise and control of her time on screen. The film stands wholly on their performances (not to discredit the supporting cast) and succeeds along with their achievement.
The film's visual style, set & costume design charmed me more than I expected, but I was particularly moved by the use of sound. The juxtaposition of loud and soft scenes is used to particular success. However, what drew me in from very early on is the poetic soundtrack of strings and keys. Many scenes transition gently without a break of the song, creating a flowing and calm atmosphere during the somewhat slow, build up of the first act. I think I may have become more anxious and impatient early on if not for this unusual editing choice.
The performances and production are beyond a doubt impressive, but the main challenge of Phantom Thread remains the pacing and content of the plot. Like Paul Thomas Anderson's other work in recent years, the character's likeability (or lack thereof), complexity, and human shortcomings force the viewer to make some of their own judgements and conclusions. This was not a movie in which, moments after the credits, I exclaimed "I loved it!" Instead, I sat in silence and tried to wrap my mind around what to make of it all. I have come to appreciate the strangeness and particular style of Anderson's vision, but I would also be sympathetic if someone said it was awkward, convoluted, and pointless.
Phantom Thread was made with care and craft that make it award-worthy, but it is uniquely its own style. Watching it was most certainly an 'experience' and one I recommend to those who bore of traditional plot structure and Hollywood practices. The risks taken with this film are sure to drive some away but are also what makes it occupy its own corner in the library of my memory.
A-
90/100
90/100
+ phenomenal performances by Day-Lewis and Krieps
+ great, stylized production, esp. dresses
+ subtle and poetic use of soundtrack
+ great, stylized production, esp. dresses
+ subtle and poetic use of soundtrack
- very slow start and questionable pacing
- characters' personalities and unusual plot will turn some viewers off
- characters' personalities and unusual plot will turn some viewers off