Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director; Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Actor; Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Supporting Actress; Lesley Manville, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.
Won: Best Costume Design.
Phantom Thread lingers in 1950s London and follows Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned dressmaker fiercely devoted to his work and adequately clothing his wealthy patrons. When a young, strong willed woman named Alma enters his life, Woodcock struggles to allow his affections for Alma to get in the way of his work and meticulous lifestyle.
Phantom Thread is written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and is infamously known for being the film which features Daniel Day-Lewis' final film performance before he retires from acting. Paul Thomas Anderson has previously worked with Day-Lewis one other time on There Will Be Blood, and I'll be upfront with admitting I've never watched a Paul Thomas Anderson production and I've scarcely seen any films starring Daniel Day-Lewis (I think I've seen The Last of the Mohicans before, but can hardly remember it). Blasphemy! I know... and it's certainly something I'd like to change someday. However, the long list of films I need to watch is a discussion for another day!
Once the film opens, Anderson quickly proves to be a detail-oriented director, and his extraordinary attention-to-detail laces itself into every underlying technical achievement. The technical craftsmanship on display is simply suave and stylish in all regards. This encompasses subtle sound design, cultivated cinematography, chic costuming, and a sophisticated score. Ironically, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more fashionable film from 2017 than Phantom Thread.
Even Anderson's screenplay is embellished with similar sensibilities, as seemingly insignificant elements are later incorporated into the film as pivotal plot points. At the center of it all though is a fascinating, turbulent relationship between an obsessed artist and his muse. It's like a twisted tug-of-war between the two of them as Woodcock would like Alma to be unobtrusive and merely serve as a source of inspiration for his dignified dresses and Alma wishes for a more affectionate connection between the two of them, and Anderson's exploration of this distorted dynamic will surely seize the audience's attention. My one and only issue with Phantom Thread though is its deliberately slow pacing. While I'm not sure this could be altered without compromising the overall narrative, it enables the film to drag on occasion so audiences may wish Anderson had taken greater care to hemming Phantom Thread's runtime.
As for the film's performances, Daniel Day-Lewis turns in a fitting final performance for an actor of his legendary reputation. Day-Lewis impeccably plays the part of the consumed creator, but displays a down-to-earth humanity and vulnerability in the film's tender moments. You buy into Woodcock's compulsive attitude because Day-Lewis sells you on it right away. It should really come as no surprise that Day-Lewis would provide another perfect performance to top off his longstanding career, but it should be known to be exceptionally effective nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville are remarkably able to hold their own against one of the greatest actors actors to ever grace the silver screen. While Krieps stands as the odd one out who wasn't nominated by the Academy, I can assure you she is just as deserving as her accomplished co-stars. In a less competitive year, she would have surely been nominated for Best Actress. Krieps commands attention every moment she's onscreen, whether it be due to her embodiment of Alma's endearing attitude or her exhibition of the characters' occasional chilling composure. Lesley Manville also makes a distinct impression as Woodcock's cold business partner and sister Cyril. Manville's presence is felt whenever she's lingering in the room and you'll find it difficult to forget her frigid glare.
If you're bound and determined to see Daniel Day-Lewis' supposed final role or catch up on all of this year's Oscar contenders, then by all means, Phantom Thread will be well worth your time. Otherwise, you may be haunted by what you consider to be overlong Oscarbait. While Paul Thomas Anderson sure has sewn an exquisite eighth feature, I'm not sure it's tailored to everyone. Fortunately, it fit the Academy and myself just right.
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