There’s a glaring expectation that often comes with artists who come from a long line of exceptional talent; the assumption being that the work produced is going to be nothing less than brilliant. But this also sits on a dismissive and unfair sentiment that the ability to create such work is not due to any sort of talent or hard work from the individual, but more so the natural boost in life they were given from the very beginning, as is the life of a “nepo baby.”
So when we’re faced with films or television shows that are produced by a so-called “nepo baby” there’s always a glimmer of hope that they will exceed expectations and prove that they’re skilled in their own right.
Ronan Day-Lewis had the opportunity to do just that with his feature directorial debut film Anemone, co-written and starring his incredibly talented father, Daniel Day-Lewis and effectively ending his seven year retirement from acting.
The film begins with Jem Stoker (Sean Bean) venturing off into the woods somewhere in Northern England – seemingly out of nowhere – to convince his brother Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis) to finally come home after two decades away. Ray abandoned his wife Nessa (Samantha Morton) and his son Brian (Samuel Bottomley) after a traumatic incident at work left him a shell of who he once was. And as a result, his brother Jem (Sean Bean) took his place as the man in the family much to Ray’s disdain (despite this being his own fault).
Immediately confronted with Ray’s hermit state, they spend day in and day out together, rekindling their bond as brothers, and uncovering the truth about why Ray left home in the first place. All while his son Brian is begging for the comfort of his biological father, while struggling with his own mental battle after a violent attack he committed against a colleague, resulting in him being taken out of the army.
The film tries too hard to tell a story of trauma and shame through anecdotes and visual cues; so much so that those themes inevitably get lost in the convoluted mess. You can see the skill the director has in creating beautiful shots and moments that feel, at times, haunting and eerie. But even without his father’s name attached to the project, this feels like an ambitious student film that never really found its footing. It feels like a slew of practical skills taught through film school and cut together to make a movie with a sub par script.
The tone of the film feels almost empty. With a narrative that could potentially hold so much weight in terms of speaking to the mental struggles men go through, it consistently feels like it’s reaching a climax only to be let down and lose track of what it all means with the forced inclusion of artistic shots.
It drags out for entirely too long, with the silence filling the space giving no emotional impact, especially because there wasn’t anything in the film worth holding the space for. It felt physically exhausting to watch.
The best part about the film was Daniel Day-Lewis’ two lengthy monologues that showcase how much of an exceptional actor he really is – especially being able to convey a story about literal shit and in turn make it so riveting and encapsulating.
Having generational talent at your fingertips isn’t nearly enough to make a film. Who are these people to me in this movie, and why should that make me care? Who are they to each other? What was the point of half of these shots other than to show off the capability to execute them? Anemone leans too far into the arthouse tropes and loses track of the story and potential sensibility behind it.
Unfortunately, while it would’ve been great to be proven wrong, even with Ronan Day Lewis’ ability to bring to life a visually pleasing film with some great moments, this just feels like another case of a “nepo baby” being given the opportunity of a lifetime and creating a pretentious piece of art.
