Daniel Day-Lewis Has A Monologue In Anemone That Is Equal Parts Utterly Disgusting And Horribly Tragic, And I Had To Ask The Director About It

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Be warned: this article contains minor spoilers for the film *Anemone*. If you haven’t watched it yet and prefer to go in knowing nothing, you might want to skip this!

It’s no surprise that Daniel Day-Lewis gives a powerful performance in *Anemone*, his first film in eight years. However, I was particularly struck by one monologue in the middle of the movie. It’s a story Ray (played by Day-Lewis) tells his brother, Jem (Sean Bean), that’s both heartbreaking and disturbing – so much so that it evoked a strange mix of laughter and tears. It’s a rare and incredibly moving scene, and I was eager to ask the film’s co-writer and director about it during an interview.

I recently had the chance to chat with Ronan Day-Lewis – Daniel Day-Lewis’ son – and Sean Bean online for the Anemone press day. I was really struck by one scene in particular and told them how torn I felt watching it. I asked the director how they’d managed to create something so layered and complex, and they explained that the goal was definitely to get a laugh out of us, then immediately make us feel bad about it. They shared with me,

The film creates a disorienting feeling, blending humor with unsettling moments – it makes you laugh, then almost feels like it’s punishing you for it. This tonal balance developed early on and became a key indicator of the film’s overall mood. As the story unfolds, you increasingly recognize how truly dark and awful the events are that the character is sharing with Jem, and what they reveal about their past. However, the film maintains this ambiguity, leaving you unsure how to feel throughout.

The following description contains potentially disturbing content from a movie. If you haven’t seen it and are easily upset, we recommend reading a different article on TopMob instead.

In a story Ray shares with Jem, he describes finding his childhood priest and visiting him under false pretenses – the priest didn’t recognize him. Ray pretended to be collecting donations, but his real motive was revenge for past sexual abuse. He deliberately consumed a combination of Guinness, curry, and laxatives, and after gaining the priest’s trust, intentionally defecated on his face as an act of retribution.

The humor is based on crude and shocking material, but it’s set against a deeply disturbing and upsetting backdrop. So, even if something makes you briefly smile, you’re left feeling terrible about enjoying it.

As Ronan Day-Lewis explained, this scene delivers a powerful emotional impact similar to the entire film *Anemone*. He also pointed out that it mirrors the complex and fluctuating relationship between the two brothers who are the story’s focus. Just like the scene itself, their connection is intensely passionate one moment and distant the next, according to the writer and director.

The relationship between Gem and Ray is really volatile – they swing wildly between closeness and conflict, often within moments. This is reflected in their interactions, including a lot of unspoken tension. I think that accurately captures the complex dynamic you often see in brotherhoods.

Although I don’t have a brother myself, I have a sister, and our relationship feels like a typical sibling bond.

Featuring Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley, and Safia Oakley-Green, the film *Anemone* is currently in cinemas. Though reviews have been varied, if you were captivated by the description of the long monologue, you’ll be absolutely amazed by Daniel Day-Lewis’s incredible acting.

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2025-10-07 16:42