Some people will do anything for their kids. After almost a decade, Daniel Day-Lewis came out of “retirement” to act in his son Ronan’s directorial debut, “Anemone.” In addition to co-starring with Sean Bean, the elder Day-Lewis co-wrote the script with his progeny.
As a result, the three-time Oscar-winner is rewarded with two extended monologues that show off his performing prowess. One of those speeches is so devilishly disgusting that it might put you off Guinness and curries forever. The other is a powerful confession of the guilt that haunts Day-Lewis’s Ray, a guilt that has estranged him from his family for the past 20 years.
Between these two masterclass scenes of acting is an odd, often effective film about the bond between fathers and sons, and the bond between brothers. The director’s background as a painter play a major part in the visual layout of the film (with an assist from cinematographer Ben Fordesman), as well as during some of the more ethereal moments that temporarily untether us from reality. Most scenes take place in the outdoors, where gray or purplish skies are filled with lightning and golf ball-sized hail. Below, dark green forestry and deep brown logs spread out as far as the eye can see.
(L to R) Daniel Day-Lewis as Ray and Sean Bean as Jem in “Anemone.”Courtesy of Focus Features
The deep woods in Northern England that Ray has inhabited since he went into exile are invaded by Jem (Bean), his younger brother. Jem has assumed the role of stepfather to Ray’s son, Brian (Samuel Bottomley). Jem has also married Nessa (Samantha Morton), Ray’s former lover and Brian’s mother.
When Nessa senses that her son is traveling down the same angry road that doomed Ray, she sends Jem to the woods to retrieve his brother. Perhaps Ray can talk some sense into his son. That is, if he’s willing to return to his old surroundings.
Ray has no intention of leaving the modest shack he calls home, nor is he particularly interested in his family. Though he treats Jem hospitably, Ray has little interest in rekindling his sibling relationship. The two, however, share a bond that transcends words; long stretches of silence occur between the two during the first half hour, but we can see them communicating with one another.
When the brothers do converse, the dialogue is full of descriptions of sexual abuse by priests, and beatings from their father. “We learned our violence from the number one champion,” Ray says, describing their father’s capacity for brutality, a propensity that the two men try — and fail — to control. The words we hear are almost always describing some act of carnage.
(L to R) Actor Daniel Day-Lewis and director Ronan Day-Lewis on the set of “Anemone.”Courtesy of Focus Features/Maria Lax / Focus Features
“Anemone” reveals its more surreal elements early. After an opening scene featuring a very long string of crayon drawings depicting violence during the Troubles, we witness an image of Nessa drifting in Ray’s bedroom. No explanations are provided for any of the dreamlike imagery, so when a strange creature shows up later, we accept it as part of the world Ray and Jem inhabit.
The Day-Lewises want to tell their story primarily through images. The problem is that there isn’t enough story to support their chosen method. Morton is wasted as one of the main sources of exposition, and we don’t get to know Brian well enough to believe Ray can help him.
With the sacrifices he’s made for his family, Jem had the potential to be an interesting character. Instead, Day-Lewis gets so much of the film’s dialogue that Bean is left standing in the wings waiting for his screen partner to stop monologuing. It seems unfair that an actor as talented as Bean is often relegated to a glorified extra, though he does wonders with the scraps he’s given.
Sean Bean, left, and Daniel Day-Lewis, right.Courtesy of Focus Features
The real draw here is the return of Daniel Day-Lewis, so you may not mind that it’s primarily his show. Day-Lewis maintains a level of ferocity on par with his Daniel Plainview character from “There Will Be Blood” and his Bill the Butcher from “Gangs of New York.” When Ray finally shows some vulnerability, the result is striking and sad.
The aforementioned monologues are high points in the two hour runtime. They were good enough for me to almost recommend “Anemone.” But, looking at notes, I saw that I’d written “get to the point, movie!” more than once. The heavy metal guitar score, which gave me a headache, is also more suited for a slasher movie than a family drama.
Pain plus impatience does not make for a favorable review, even if the film marks the return of one of our greatest living actors.
★★1/2
ANEMONE
Directed by Ronan Day-Lewis. Written by Ronan Day-Lewis and Daniel Day-Lewis. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley. At Coolidge Corner, Landmark Kendall Square, Alamo Drafthouse Seaport, suburbs. 121 min. R (profanity, descriptions of abuse)
Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe’s film critic.