How others will see it. This glacially paced love story is told from Day-Lewis' point of view, despite a third-party female narrator, who is presumably the author of the presumably thick source novel. Although intellectual men may find the movie watchable, and movie buffs will appreciate the heavy-duty cast and Scorcese's patient direction, the target audience is women.
Younger women can identify with Ryder, the beautiful girl who owns Day-Lewis by marriage but does not own his heart. Older women can side with Pfeiffer, the classy dish who keeps Day-Lewis at arm's length despite her obvious attraction for him, and her lack of good alternatives. Both of these women are bent on doing the noble thing, which is actually fortunate for Day-Lewis, since his judgment is poor in such matters.
The female viewer, whether young or old, can moon over Day-Lewis, the tall, dark, handsome, rich, and smarty-pants centerpiece of the love triangle. Men have less to inspire interest, especially since neither Ryder nor Pfeiffer remove any of their clothes throughout the entire 139 minute movie.
How I felt about it. Day-Lewis' character is moderately interesting for its inconsistencies. Normally, such variance in the lead would be a movie weakness, but not in this case. Day-Lewis' psychological obsessions seem plausible, because still waters run deep, and at one time or another we are all fixated with something virtually unobtainable yet vitually significant, or at least it seems so at the time.
Suppose Day-Lewis snagged Pfeiffer, and went on a world tour with her. Would lasting happiness ensue, or would Day-Lewis eventually tire of the disappated life with his aging and now all-too-familiar conquest? Of course, and Pfeiffer knows this, because she has been through all this before with her own husband.
Meanwhile, Day-Lewis has Ryder, a hotter and younger woman, who is blindly loyal to him despite his distance and evasions. Day-Lewis, who is off autopilot only when Pfeiffer is near, imagines himself to be a man of great depth, while he believes Ryder to be a pretty, nice, and empty vessel.
In reality, Ryder is a gracious and charming person, while Day-Lewis is an aloof blue-blood who secretly craves the one elicit thing he can't have. Perhaps Ryder's warmth and sincerity trumps Day-Lewis' courtly but false behavior.