Excellent movie. 4.5 out of 5 stars. This movie was damn near perfect. Keep reading...
The story is about a fictional iconic fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock who sometimes sews hidden messages into his Haute Couture gowns. Of course Daniel Day-Lewis is perfection. The man won 4 Oscars ("My Left Foot," "There Will Be Blood," and "Lincoln") by no small feat. He's been called the male Meryl Streep for good reason. His larger than life performance is balanced by Vicky Krieps' quiet brilliance as Alma. Alma stands up to Reynolds in a way no past co-star of Daniel's has. But it's Lesley Manville as Cyril Woodcock, Reynolds' sister, that will take him down. She never yells or even raises her voice throughout the whole movie, but being his Assistant and older sister she can shift her eyes and destroy you. That woman is terrifying and BETTER get nominated for an Oscar (although she'll have to battle Allison Janney and Laurie Metcalf).
As I mentioned you watch the movie trying to figure out why you haven't heard of Woodcock design or the House of Woodcock, and it's because it don't exist. Paul does things in this movie that leave you WISHING this was a biopic.
My only ding with this is Alma. Although she is a formidable match for Reynolds there's no explanation why. Paul and the actors tell you why Cyril is Cyril, why Reynolds is Reynolds, but nothing on why Alma is Alma. If that scene existed it would be 5 stars hands down. Otherwise this is brilliant. And Vicky's performance BLEW ME AWAY!!!! Worth seeing.
At this movie's worst it engulfs the best movies out there...btw this is Daniel's last film. He feels the industry doesn't tell good stories anymore so he's retiring from acting. He'll be back I bet...Paul will lure him out.