Daniel Day-Lewis’ new thriller drama can be streamed at home now

The movie co-stars Samantha Morton and Sean Bean.

Released in cinemas last November, the film is accessible through the NOW service. It was co-written by the legendary actor, alongside his son and director Ronan Day-Lewis.

Its story begins with Jem Stoker (Sean Bean, Game of Thrones) solemnly praying for strength before saying goodbye to his wife, Nessa (Samantha Morton, The Odyssey) and speeding off on a motorbike.

His destination is an isolated shack in the Yorkshire woods, where his older and reclusive brother, Ray (Day-Lewis, In the Name of the Father), whom he has not seen in 20 years, lives.

Upon Jem's arrival, the brothers' reunion is a frosty one, filled with long and tense silences.

Over the course of the movie's two-hour runtime, it slowly becomes clear why Jem is seeking out Ray and what led to the latter's self-imposed exile.

Watch the trailer for Anemone right here:

A family drama infused with thriller and even horror elements, right away, Anemone has such a strong command of tone.

While certainly deliberately paced - taking its time to parse out information and character motivations - Ben Fordesman’s gloomy cinematography, Bobby Krlic's moody hard-to-pin-down score, the enigmatic and intense performances, and the heightened directorial flourishes from Ronan Day-Lewis all combine to create a thick air of mystery, dread and suspense.

Also, when the dialogue-heavy confrontation scenes come later, they are utterly hypnotic, with monologues deftly toeing the line between stylised and visceral yet believable.

For film fans, the return of Daniel Day-Lewis makes Anemone a must-see. It's a typically spine-tingling performance from the three-time Oscar-winner. He does incredible work slowly unfurling Ray’s stern, hyper-masculine facade to reveal the wealth of emotion raging underneath.

Acting against him, Bean is excellent as Jem too, who one senses is less confident and strong than Ray, but more stable and suited for life. The pair play off against each other brilliantly, aided by Ronan Day-Lewis’ muscular direction, which keeps proceedings from ever feeling stagey.

Anemone is more successful in its first two-thirds than in the final third, which amps up the symbolism. Sometimes this feels like a natural extension of the movie's religious undertones, while other times it feels a tad underdeveloped.

Also, the opening two-thirds of the movie, where the viewer is trying to piece together Anemone's mysteries, are ultimately more compelling than the eventual answers.

That said, the story does end on a powerful note, all the more moving given that a father and son made the film together.

Anemone is available to stream on the service NOW.