this really captivated me for the first 100 minutes or so and i quickly became invested in alma’s arc (which, yes, only exists in relation to, erm, woodcock). i could mostly see where this was going but was mesmerized by the beauty and execution of it all. i was also pleasantly surprised by where sexual tension existed and where it didn’t exist when you’d expect it to. also if we’re comparing “eccentric” (read: asshole) male artist/female muse relationships in contained locations, this is a refreshingly non-overbaked version of whatever the fuck mother! was. but... maybe... phantom thread didn’t go far enough? it’s, well, a bit predictable... and the character study wasn’t quiiiiite deep enough to fill in for the thin plot. it came out like a beautiful pastry but a little too airy on the inside. their dynamic started to get really interesting again in the last few minutes so i wish pta had carved out more time to explore that. but you know what! this is good, he’s good.