Day-Lewis shines in Anemone but critics warn his son’s directorial debut drags the film down
Daniel Day-Lewis has stepped out of retirement to deliver what many describe as a blistering performance—but the film housing it is already dividing critics.
The three-time Oscar winner, who retired in 2017, made his long-awaited return this past weekend at the New York Film Festival with Anemone, a British psychological drama exploring the fragile bonds between fathers and sons. The project is a deeply personal one: it is directed by Day-Lewis’s son, Roman, and co-written by the father-son duo.
Alongside Day-Lewis, the film stars Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley, and Safia Oakley-Green. Anemone is set for a US theatrical release next month and will appear in the UK at the BFI London Film Festival.
But if the Rotten Tomatoes score is anything to go by—currently sitting at just 63% positive—the movie’s reception has been rocky. Critics agree on one thing: Day-Lewis’s magnetic power hasn’t dimmed. Everything else, however, is up for debate.
The Hollywood Reporter praised the actor’s return, writing: “Daniel Day-Lewis makes a commanding return to the screen in a drama that seldom approaches his Earth-shaking force. The three-time Oscar winner’s magnetic intensity remains undimmed. Playing a brooding, taciturn man living in self-imposed exile for two decades, Day-Lewis’ rugged performance provides a semblance of narrative weight in a drama that’s otherwise lacking.”
ScreenDaily offered a similar take, highlighting the younger Day-Lewis’s shaky hand behind the camera: “While there is a sense that [Roman Day-Lewis’s] creative sensibility may one day be honed into a controlled cinematic vision, his inexperience undermines Anemone; despite strong support from Bean and the elder Day-Lewis.”
The Telegraph found more to admire, singling out the central pairing of Bean and Day-Lewis as the film’s beating heart. Its review noted: “Bean is subtle, reactive, intuitive, funny – he, too, is on terrific form – while Day-Lewis is every bit the marvel you remember: every gesture, every glance, every twinkle comes freighted with wiry intention. You could watch these two go at it for hours, which for the most part is what Anemone offers.”
But not all reviewers were charmed. The San Francisco Chronicle delivered a savage verdict: “The worst film Daniel Day-Lewis ever made and the worst he ever will make, unless he and his son are planning a sequel.”
Such wildly differing responses highlight the tension at the core of Anemone: a towering performance by one of cinema’s most revered actors, weighed down by the inexperience of a first-time director. Day-Lewis’s return was never going to escape scrutiny, and tying his comeback to a family project has only intensified the spotlight.
For fans of Day-Lewis, the good news is clear—his intensity and presence remain untouchable, commanding the screen even when the story falters. For audiences hoping for a triumphant return wrapped in a flawless film, however, Anemone may prove frustrating.
Whether the father-son collaboration marks a new chapter in British cinema or a misstep in an otherwise legendary career will be judged over time. For now, Day-Lewis remains the star he has always been, carrying a film that critics say struggles to carry him back