ANEMONE

UK, US, 2025, 125 minutes, Colour.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, Samuel Bottomley, Samantha Morton.

Directed by Ronan Day-Lewis.

A stark, often disturbing and challenging drama.

The film has been directed by Ronan Day-Lewis, son of three-time Oscar-winning actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, considered one of the greatest actors of the times. He retired from filmmaking in 2017 but has cowritten this film with his son and come back to the screen in yet another very powerful performance reminiscent of his sinister knife-throwing in Gangs of New York and his arrogance in There Will Be Blood.

Daniel Day-Lewis plays the central character, Ray, a soldier in the past, the Troubles in Ireland, military action, life and death decisions which still haunt him. He has become a recluse, long since, living in a cabin in the woods, abandoning his wife and son, withdrawing from society and any ordinary life, hunting, surviving.

For the action of the film, Ray’s son, Brian, Samuel Bottomley, has a possible military career, but haunted by the reputation of his father as well as his father’s absence for most of his life, wants to meet his father. His mother, played by Samantha Morton, has married Ray’s brother, Jem, Sean Bean, and they have brought up the young man.

But, Jem goes to visit his brother and a lot of the film is about their interaction, sometimes quiet, sometimes violent, physical struggles, emotional and psychological confrontations, sharing the survival mode in the forest. But this does give the opportunity for Daniel Day-Lewis to speak some extraordinary monologues, his pain and anguish from his military decisions, his sense of isolation and abandonment of family, his intention to continue this way of withdrawal in life.

Suddenly, and strikingly, there is a long and powerful monologue about an abusive priest in the past, Ray’s encounter with him as an adult, the priest not realising that Ray was his victim, again being seductive, but Ray turning on him viciously, and the extraordinarily graphic description of an angry revenge (whether reality or in Ray’s imagination, Ray defecating on the priest, almost parallelling this disgusting act with a sacramental experience. It is one of the most direct and powerful descriptions of vengeance on an abuser.

The scenes between Ray and Jem raise consciousness and conscience, a letter from his wife begging him to come home for their son, the final brutal clash with Jem then a kind of catharsis as Ray makes a decision to come back, arriving at the door, seeing his son, his wife – and leaving it to the audience to speculate, to imagine, what the consequences will be for each of these characters.

The title refers to the flower, anemone:

Anemone flowers, or "windflowers," generally symbolize anticipation, fragility, and protection, with deep roots in romantic passion and tragic love. Deriving their name from the Greek word for wind, they also represent the fleeting nature of life, luck, and emotional attachment, often signifying a fresh start or spring's arrival. (Google AI summary).

1. The title, the flower, its symbolism, the story of Ray, Jem, Brian?
2. The collaboration between father and son, acting, directing, the collaboration with the screenplay and its issues and themes?
3. The British setting, the Troubles in Northern Ireland? Ray, soldier, reputed, service, the uprisings, the wounded man, the decision about killing him? The effect on him personally, conscience, withdrawal, living alone, with his guilt? Leaving his wife and son?
4. The locations, the remote heart, the countryside, the fields, river, the grim aspects of nature? The contrast with the town, the streets, ordinary life, home? The musical score – at times pounding?
5. The situation, Ray and his withdrawal, the years passing, Nessie and her memories, attitude towards Ray, her son, reliance on Jem, bringing up Brian? Brian, the military, his father’s reputation, criticisms, withdrawal, his future?
6. The visit by Jem, the two brothers, the relationship, distance, memories of the past, Jem and his mission to bring Ray home, the letter from Nessie?
7. The core of the film, the brothers’ relationship, their talking, sharing memories, silences, hostilities, out in the woods, the clashes, the moods? The portrait of each man, in himself, and in relationship with each other?
8. The scenes with Brian, at home, withdrawal, attitude towards his father, wanting to know the truth, his future? relationship with his mother, her work, place in the town, relationship with Jem, her memories? The letter?
9. The physical violence between the brothers, the psychological violence, the ups and downs, each pressuring the other? Ray and his determination? The issue of the reading of the letter, eventually?
10. Ray, any resolution to the problem, the impact of the letter, his returning, a reconciliation with Jem, coming to the door, Nessie, Brian, and the film stopping – and the audience imagining the future, difficulties, hopes, a new life and relationships?