Phantom Thread (2017)
To love someone to death.
Presentation:
What lengths will you go to love someone? Sensual and decadent are two words I’d use to describe this unique period drama. Daniel Day Lewis has one of the most dislikable performances in recent memory of a petulant tailor. Krieps on the other hand has the perfect tenderness and it is hard to watch her get abused. It’s a wonderful casting and performance all around, surrounded by gorgeous color and costume design. The close up photography adds a lot of tactile intimacy and the way it is shot feels close and laser focused. It’s a somewhat quiet film with the classical soundtrack juxtaposed with the stomach churning arguments. There’s a lot of stillness and subtlety, which I loved but may feel stagnant for some.
Analysis:
The film is a metaphor for the toxicity of love, how sometimes only through great illness or hardship can one be coerced into tenderness. The poisoning is also a metaphor for how we endure arguments and abuse for affection. Sometimes we may love too much. Love is complicated especially with dysfunctional couples.
Conclusion:
This film is ultimately about love. It doesn’t go the direction you think it will, which I think is what makes PTA a great scriptwriter. Supposedly he got the idea when his wife Maya Rudolph paid extra attention to him once he got sick. The main critique with the film, which is similar to all of his films, is he doesn’t know how to end. It’s not the most rewarding of endings and those that don’t like it are probably confused. However, I think if you’ve experienced something similar, you’ll just get it and won’t need further resolution. For those that don’t, lucky you.
Recommendations
So slow, you’ll be begging this assassin to kill you…