Anemone is a psychological drama set in Northern England during the late 1980s. The story centers on two estranged brothers: Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis), a reclusive former soldier, and Jem (Sean Bean), who seeks reconciliation. Ray has been living in isolation for two decades, grappling with trauma from his past, including a violent incident during his time in the Irish Republican Army (Group that fought for Northern Ireland to leave the UK and join Ireland. They were involved in bombings, shootings, and other violent acts during the Troubles era). Jem ventures into the woods to confront Ray, leading to a tense and emotionally charged reunion.
The Story
This movie is about two brothers who haven't talked to each other in a very long time because something terrible happened in their past.
The story starts with a man named Jem (played by Sean Bean) who lives in a normal house in the suburbs. One day, he decides to take a trip into the woods to find his brother Ray (played by Daniel Day-Lewis). Ray has been living alone in the forest like a hermit for many years, hiding from the world.
When Jem finds Ray, we can see that Ray is angry and doesn't want to talk to anyone. He's been living by himself, growing wild plants called anemones in his garden. These flowers are important because they represent something from their past - their father used to grow them too.
As the movie goes on, we vaguely learn what happened between the brothers. Many years ago, when they were younger, there was some kind of violent event that tore their family apart. The movie hints that it might have been connected to political troubles in Northern England, maybe involving fights between different groups of people.
The movie never gives us one neat "this exact event happened on this date" moment. Instead, the film layers together three strands of trauma that shattered the family:
The movie most likely refers to the Troubles–era unrest in Northern Ireland.
Their father is described as brutal who beats the boys. The father also grew the same anemone flowers.
There are references to sexual abuse by priests. This is not shown on screen, but comes out in dialogue and memory fragments.
Ray feels guilty about what happened (suggesting he was directly involved in or responsible for a violent act during that time, which isn't shown in the movie) and blames himself. That's why he ran away to live alone in the woods. Jem, on the other hand, tried to live a normal life but has been carrying the sadness and pain all these years.
The brothers have very tense conversations. Sometimes they're angry at each other, and sometimes they show they still care. We also meet other characters like Nessa (Samantha Morton), who might be Jem's wife, and a young boy who could be their son.
Throughout the movie, Ray has flashbacks and memories that show us pieces of what really happened in the past. There are scenes that suggest violence and trauma that affected their whole family.
In the end, the brothers try to understand each other and forgive what happened in the past. Ray realizes he can't hide forever, and Jem helps him see that they need to face their problems together. The movie shows how families can be broken by terrible events but also how love and forgiveness can help heal old wounds.
The title "Anemone" refers to those flowers Ray grows, which symbolize how beautiful things can still grow even after painful experiences, just like how the brothers' relationship might heal over time.
My Review
What I Liked:
First, Daniel Day-Lewis is absolutely incredible as always. Even though he retired from acting for 8 years, he came back and showed why he's considered one of the best actors ever. He plays Ray with so much emotion - you can see the pain, anger, and sadness in his face without him even saying words. There are two big speeches he gives in the movie that are really powerful and made me feel emotional.
Sean Bean is also really good as Jem. He shows a man who is trying to be strong but is also hurting inside. The two actors work well together and you believe they are really brothers with a complicated relationship.
The movie looks beautiful. The cinematographer did an amazing job making the forest and the countryside look both pretty and scary at the same time. The way they show the wild garden with the anemone flowers is particularly lovely.
What I Didn't Like:
The biggest problem with this movie is that it's very slow and sometimes confusing. The director, Ronan Day-Lewis (Daniel's son), is making his first movie, and you can tell. While he knows how to make things look good, he doesn't always know how to tell the story in an exciting way.
The story about two brothers dealing with family trauma has been done many times before, and this movie doesn't really add anything new or surprising.
The movie is also very serious and heavy. There's not much lightness to balance out all the sadness. This makes it hard to watch sometimes, and I think many people might find it boring.
The Nepotism Discussion:
A lot of people are talking about how this movie only got made because Daniel Day-Lewis wanted to help his son's career. While I understand why people are frustrated about this, I think we should judge the movie on its own merits.
That said, many viewers feel like the movie doesn't live up to Daniel Day-Lewis's usual high standards. Some people think he should have waited for a better script with a more experienced director for his comeback.
Technical Stuff:
The movie is about 2 hours long, which feels too long for the amount of story they're telling. Some scenes drag on without adding much to the plot. The writing, done by both father and son, has good moments but also feels incomplete in places.
The supporting actors like Samantha Morton are fine, but they don't have much to do. The movie focuses mainly on the two brothers, which works sometimes but makes other characters feel unimportant.
Final Thoughts:
This is not a bad movie, but it's not great either. If you're a big fan of Daniel Day-Lewis, you'll probably want to see it just to watch him act again. His performance alone makes the movie worth watching.
The movie tries to be deep and meaningful, but it often feels slow and pretentious instead.
I would recommend this movie only to people who really love serious dramas and don't mind slow-paced films.
It's an okay movie saved by one great performance, but it's not something I would watch again or strongly recommend to friends.