In ‘Anemone,’ a legendary actor of 68 years portrays a weathered recluse with a silver-gray buzzcut and an iconic handlebar mustache. He resides in a secluded log cabin nestled in the northern English woods. The character, who goes by the name Ray, carries a few substantial secrets with him. As the narrative begins to color his persona more vividly, it almost seems as though his most monumental secret is his previous life in a mediocre Miramax-produced 90’s art-house film.
‘Anemone,’ pronounced ‘uh-NEM-uh-nee,’ is not a talkative film. Ray’s character is gradually unpeeled through a series of long monologues that fill the silence. The story unfolds in a variety of settings, featuring elegantly simple shots of the surrounding forest. However, at its core, the film revolves around Ray’s isolated cabin.
Ray’s brother, Jem, played by Sean Bean, attempts to rekindle their relations. For much of the film, the two brothers are simply coexisting silently, sharing stiff drinks and exchanging looks painting a subtle understanding between them. They even let loose with a midnight boogie to a lively rock ‘n’ roll track. Throughout his illustrious career spanning just 21 movies, this actor has delivered performances that were both extraordinarily moving and unforgettable, and performances that were perfunctory and not particularly memorable. This film leans toward the latter category.
Despite the potential in the script, his role remains somewhat muted. It’s plausible that this was a conscious decision — to ensure that the actor’s triumphant return to the screen does not overshadow the narrative itself. Alas, ‘Anemone,’ despite the caliber of its lead actor, falls short as a film — pretentiously dry and stagnant, filled with excessive artsy shots and an uninspired indie soundtrack, all at the expense of true drama.
The movie is strung around the themes that paradoxically seem borrowed from other films, making it feel disunited. It intertwines a family drama that is intended to bring warmth and heart to the narrative, but instead remains aloof and unpersuasive. The narrative reveals that Jem and his partner, Nessa, portrayed by Samantha Morton, have raised a son, Brian, played by Samuel Bottomley. And through a serpentine twist, Brian appears to share a deeper connection with Ray than we initially understand.
Despite its imperfections, flashes of brilliance sporadically pierce through ‘Anemone.’ Its central plot, with Jem compelling Ray to abandon his self-imposed reclusion, metaphorically mirrors the actor’s own intermittent breaks from his acting career, during which he pursues craftsmanship such as shoemaking or carpentry.
Regrettably, for the vast span of its 125-minute duration, ‘Anemone’ seems oddly motionless. The title ‘Anemone,’ referencing a flower, undeniably signifies something meaningful related to endings and fresh starts, mirroring the theme of the movie. As with many elements in ‘Anemone,’ while they are intended to convey profound meanings, the execution leads them to fall flat.
The film leaves viewers perplexed, witnessing a narrative where impactful themes and elements prove to be inconsequential in the end. ‘Anemone,’ as a cinematic piece, perhaps aimed for a visually entrancing exploration of profound themes, yet its potential remains largely unfulfilled. Despite the promise hinted by some poignant scenes and the merit of a renowned leading performance, the movie falls prey to its own pretensions, losing the essence of drama and character development.
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