Introduction
Synopsis
The story follows Jem (Sean Bean), a working-class man from a Northern Irish town, who treks into the wilderness to find his long-lost brother Ray (Day-Lewis). Ray has been living as a recluse for over 20 years, cut off from the world, including his own family. Jem wants Ray to return home and speak with his estranged nephew Brian, who’s recently gone AWOL from the military after a violent altercation. Jem and his wife Nessa (Samantha Morton) believe Ray might be the only person who can break through to the troubled young man.
Discussion
Anemone opens with almost half an hour of near-silence. Throughout, there is little dialogue, with only the rustling of the woods, the howl of the wind, and a wealth of emotion written across the actors’ faces. Both Day-Lewis and Bean excel in this environment. Every look, hesitation, and twitch of the eye conveys volumes.
The early scenes involving Jem arriving at Ray’s remote cabin and the hesitant, simmering interactions between the two brothers are hauntingly well done. There’s an authenticity to their physicality, their restraint, and their shared emotional history that makes even the quietest moments crackle with tension.
Day-Lewis, returning to the screen after a self-imposed retirement following Phantom Thread (2017), is unsurprisingly magnetic. He co-wrote the script with his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, who also serves as the director. It’s a personal project, and it shows. Day-Lewis brings his signature intensity to the role of Ray: a man shaped by guilt, solitude, and unspoken wounds. He broods with the best of them, and yes, he still stares like no one else in the cinema.
![ANEMONE - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters October 3](https://i0.wp.com/i.ytimg.com/vi/HVqoyMi98OI/hqdefault.jpg?ssl=1)
But the real surprise of the film is Sean Bean, who gives one of the most emotionally open performances of his career. He doesn’t try to match Day-Lewis in stoic fury but instead plays Jem as a man slowly unraveling. His vulnerability, desperation, and underlying grief make him the heart of the film. In many ways, it’s Bean who leaves the stronger impression. This might be the best work he’s ever done.
Visually, Anemone is a stunning film. Ronan Day-Lewis captures the harsh, poetic beauty of Northern Ireland; the mist-covered forests, the windswept beaches, and the lonely hills all serve as both setting and metaphor. Cinematographer Ben Fordesman makes the most of these landscapes, creating a film that feels both intimate and vast. It made me want to pack my bags and visit immediately.
Further Analysis
Despite the powerful performances and striking visuals, Anemone falters when it tries to expand its focus. The secondary storyline involving Nessa and Brian in town never fully connects. Samantha Morton delivers a strong, grounded performance, but her motivations and emotions are left murky. As for Brian (Samuel Bottomley), he’s too much of a cipher. His scenes lack the emotional clarity and urgency that drive the central brotherly drama. The film hints at trauma and generational pain, but doesn’t do enough to explore them.
This lack of narrative drive is the film’s Achilles’ heel. While the performances are often extraordinary, the story itself never quite justifies the stakes it sets up. Why is Ray’s return so crucial? What exactly happened between these characters in the past? The film prefers ambiguity to answers. While that can be effective, here it leaves the emotional arc feeling incomplete.
Conclusion
In wrestling terms? Anemone is a draw. On one side of the ring: two titans of acting delivering career-best performances. On the other side is a slow, sometimes muddled story that doesn’t quite stick the landing. The match is intense, beautifully shot, and emotionally charged, but ultimately left unresolved.
Still, for fans of serious, performance-driven cinema, Anemone is well worth seeing. It may not be a knockout, but when Day-Lewis and Bean share the screen, it’s electric. Just don’t expect to leave with all your questions answered.
