ANEMONE

Set in Northern England, 'Anemone' attempts to tackle many issues at play in the UK, both today and dating back decades. At the forefront is the Troubles, with both Ray and Jem having been involved in the conflict with Northern Ireland. Neither is particularly empathetic or understanding of the other side; perhaps this is an attempt to mirror the current conflict in Gaza, or simply the single-mindedness of an army recruit. There is a weight that hangs over both men that has led them to this point in their paths, though clearly Jem's contrition has caused a significantly greater impact on his life. He sees Ray's arrival as an opportunity for penance, divulging numerous secrets long held.

Jem bursts into monologues, then there's quiet for long stretches, followed by close-up montages of the wilderness. While there is character development among these sequences, they are achingly drawn out, with an amateurish feel to them. Every second of the 125-minute run time is noticeable, in which moments where Ray and Jem's relationship was meant to flourish feel overwhelmingly elongated.

Much talk has been made of Day-Lewis' return from retirement, but much of his role is to sit by and listen or stare off contemplatively. In fact, it's Sean Bean who's the outstanding of the two, and whose fervent rants - often unpleasant and disturbing - are brought to life by the actor's skilful storytelling abilities.

The remote woodland locations are broken up by infrequent vignettes back to the Stoker home, to follow Nessa and Brian while Ray is away. While this takes some time to develop into something meaningful, the relationship between mother and son becomes something quite beautiful, and Nessa sitting down for the first time and talking to Brian about his biological father becomes one of the most poignant moments of the film, thanks to some fine work from Samantha Morton.

The film is very handsomely shot, with cinematographer Ben Fordesman ('Saint Maud', Netflix's 'The End of the F***ing World') presenting Northern England as many would perceive it - wet, downcast, cloudy. Yet the woods are an opportunity for bursts of colour, lush greens and vibrant hues, pops of luminance from the titular anemones. There's a sharp focus and shallow depth of field, along with the occasional well-orchestrated slow-motion shot, all of which make it look very cinematic, yet don't add anything to the storytelling.

This collaboration between Ronan and Daniel Day-Lewis relishes misery, revelling in almost every tragedy that has faced the United Kingdom in recent times. It swells with tragedy like an over-inflated balloon, ready to burst over all of the characters and further ruin their lives. This wallowing in misfortune makes it a punishing watch, while the amateurish approach to filmmaking only adds to this. Unfortunately, 'Anemone' is not a worthy return to acting for Daniel Day-Lewis. Perhaps a future project will redeem his legendary status.