The Phantom Thread: Doesn’t Hold Together!

Daniel Day-Lewis doesn't star in a film often, but he is arguably the best male actor of our generation.  He is his usual superb self in this film, but I can't think of any other reason to see it, unless you need to catch up on your sleep! This movie's rave reviews (on numerous Best 10 lists and an Oscar Best Film nomination) strike me as a prime example of "The Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome."  Due to political connections, it gets an endorsement from a Hollywood power broker, and then all the other big-time film critics report that the movie is great.  Call me crazy, but I think it's a pretentious, slow-paced film which, at "heart," is an uninteresting and psycho-dynamically unrealistic romance. The film takes place in England, in an unspecified time period, but appears to me to be soon after WWII.  Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) is a couturier to royalty and the extremely wealthy.  He is gifted and makes the haute couture dresses, while the business is run by his cold and efficient sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville).  Reynolds is extremely obsessional and lives a very circumscribed life.  He has a strict routine and essentially keeps to himself and just makes dresses.  Other than food, he does not appear to be interested in much else. While having breakfast at a local restaurant, he becomes enamored with a pretty waitress, Alma (Vicky Krieps), whose background is a mystery – although she seems to have a subtle German accent.  He asks her out and they become emotionally involved.  Reynolds is controlling and emotionally unavailable, so Alma resorts to a unique and desperate method to bring out Reynolds' vulnerability so they can relate in a more meaningful way.  I couldn't buy off on this, since I didn't see her character being able to take that much of a risk, nor did I think her method, in truth, would have actually resulted in Reynolds opening up to her. I found the soundtrack intrusive and annoying, but, to be fair, the cinematography was excellent (Paul Thomas Anderson – who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film) and there were a few interesting and emotionally compelling scenes.  Unfortunately, "The Phantom Thread" is "threadbare" to me!