The Wasteland Reviewer

Anemone (2025) Written Review

What kind of project would get the greatest actor of all time to come out of retirement? When your son wants to create something with his father, that can be quite impressive motivation. There are high hopes and big expectations for a film that involves Daniel Day-Lewis, but Anemone is a directorial debut for a young filmmaker as well. The trailer did not do a good job of spelling what Anemone is about, but it certainly flaunted the biggest asset it has…the elder Day-Lewis. Ronan and his father tackle a tale of two estranged brothers confronting the past in a bold, meta-physical expression with plenty of tragedy, trauma, and regrets attached. 

What does the younger Day-Lewis bring to the table from behind the camera? Anemone is a flawed yet ambitious cinematic expression. The biggest accomplishment of the direction is the bold and committed vision that is uncompromising and unimpeded. There are plenty of inspired and dynamic shots that give Anemone such a striking visual experience. The more metaphorical visuals are powerful (but unfortunately the structure of the film undercuts their power). The way the camera movements gives the film more personality than more filmmakers might have. There are some self-indulgent shots that are gorgeous but harm the film in other ways. The pacing of the film is the biggest concern as this 121-minute film does not earn that runtime (more on that with the writing) where there are stretches of the film that halt to slog. The intimate shots of these performers are quite powerful and allow this talented cast to sell so much of the emotion. The opening tracking shot over disturbing children’s drawings truly sets the tone for a compelling experience. Cinematographer Ben Fordesman is a great partner to Day-Lewis in crafting this visual experience. The other impressive element from the technical side is the score, which is atmospheric, bold, and wholly engrossing. Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury are a great duo who have done the same for Alex Garland’s work making them are great choice for this directorial debut. 

Where do many of Anemone’s issues enter the conversation? The script from both father and son is not the strongest asset of this film. There are strong themes that make up the bedrock of this film. Trauma. War. Abandonment. Fractured Relationships. The film drops you into a space that is wholly intimate and unrelenting. The most challenging truth about Anemone is that it is mostly the elder Day-Lewis reflecting and Sean Bean (his on-screen brother) listening and reacting. When your film is mostly a one-way conversation over the course of two hours, that doesn’t make for the most engaging of experiences (which contributes to the sluggish pacing). The other challenge of the story structure comes to how the film bounces back and forth between this brotherly outing in the middle of the woods and the woman and teen son waiting back home. Whenever the film cuts from Day-Lewis and Bean, it becomes infinitely less interesting. Those scenes back in civilization do little but spell out the past and ideas of the film in such a blunt way that it undercuts the complex expressions from Day-Lewis’ characters. This is really a story about one man’s confrontation with his own past, regrets, and trauma. By the time the film gets bolder with its visual symbolism and expression, the pacing has lost so much of the audience that it lacks the impact it should. There is a tighter version of this script in another world that is damn compelling and much more effective. 

What is the biggest selling of this film, for sure? Seeing Daniel Day-Lewis back on screen is obviously the reason so many people are paying attention to this release. Unsurprisingly, Day-Lewis’ performance is the strongest aspect of the whole film. From a directorial and photography perspective, they do their best to put the film in Day-Lewis hands. Every word that comes out of this man’s mouth is compelling. He brings life and impact to each speech that his character has (and there are many). Few actors are better at capturing the small choices that make performances feel so real and authentic. The intensity is unmatched. This is a master at work. Bean is saddled with the thankless job of just reacting to endless Day-Lewis monologues, but he brings a strong stoicism that makes for an impactful reflective performance. Samantha Morton is such a talented actor and brings it to her role here, but she sadly is involved in the subplot that feels unnecessary and more of a distraction than a meaningful element of the overall narrative. Samuel Bottomley portrays the disturbed teenage son of Morton’s character who feels like an add-in instead of a meaningful addition to the story (and his performance is now memorable enough to stand out like Morton’s). 

Is Anemone a strong debut for Ronan Day-Lewis? This is an imperfect film with plenty of flaws…but it also has plenty of great elements too. His father’s return to the big screen is excellent as he slides right back into what he does better than anyone. Bean makes for a strong support as well. The visual styling of the film is excellent and shows that this young director has plenty of potential. The script is where the troubles begin and take away from the overall experience. There is a fantastic film buried here somewhere and with some fine-tuned trimming could have come to life.