Director Paul Thomas Anderson's THERE WILL BE BLOOD is a masterly, unflinching examination of a consummately evil man. Daniel Plainview (via a transcendent performance by the great Daniel Day-Lewis) is, as he likes to remind those around him, an oil man: he finds it, he drills for it, and he makes money from it. Following a tip from a visitor named Paul Sunday, whose family sits atop a veritable ocean of oil, Plainview travels to the town of New Boston, California, with his young son. Sunday's preacher brother Eli (both roles are played by the excellent Paul Dano) grudgingly accepts Plainview's ambitions under the condition that he help fund the town church. As Plainview's plans come to fruition, a series of events begin to fracture the insular world he has constructed for himself, pitting Plainview against Sunday and forcing him to become even more vindictive and ruthless. Anderson proved with BOOGIE NIGHTS and MAGNOLIA that he was adept at handling expansive storylines and layered plots; however, he stakes out a claim here as a new master of the cinematic epic. The film is visually stunning, and alternates between lush widescreen shots of the desert and meticulously composed, darkly lit close-up of his actors, presenting complex images of the American landscape and the souls that dot it. As a narrative, THERE WILL BE BLOOD is told with a sense of economy, yet never at the expense of the film's inherently grand scope. It's difficult to determine precisely what Anderson wants his viewers to take from the experience: the film is, in the end, appropriately complex and ambiguous. THERE WILL BE BLOOD forces us to confront Plainville, who seems to be a larger-than-life personification of evil; that we don't entirely understand him at the film's conclusion is not a shortcoming, but rather a tribute to the depths of this most vile creature and this most brilliant film.Read full review
With the introduction of "I like to think of myself as an oilman," Daniel Day Lewis electrifies the screen in this movie which actually has little blood. And he speaks in a swagger that will be forever his, much like Marlon Brando owned Vito Corleone's whispery muttering in "The Godfather." Daniel Plainview (Day Lewis) starts out as a silver miner but becomes an oil man. His partner is his son H. W., who intrigues his clients much like Tatum O'Neil wowed them in "Paper Moon." We can tell the progress of his oil skills as H. W. grows up from a baby to a man in the movie. But H. W. is dispensable just like anyone else in this story of greed and madness. The other main character is Eli and Paul Sunday both played by Paul Dano. This young man was first Paul, the salesman of his father's land to Daniel Plainview as a source of oil, and then becomes his brother Eli--a fire and brimstone preacher of the Church of the Third Revelation. The conflict between Plainview and Eli Sunday is the real core of this movie. First one is up and then the other. And it is a moving conflict to the end--all but the very ending, which is abominable. The Oscar winning cinematography in this movie is fantastic and is darkly photographed. The dirtiness of the oil business comes through loud and clear, and we sit appalled at some of the horrible things that can happen. Also a strange music haunts the screen just to let us know that this movie is a bit weird. Daniel Day Lewis certainly earned his Oscar, but I admired him more as Hawkeye in "The Last of the Mohicans" or as his character in "The Age of Innocence." Paul Dano was great as the extreme preacher who also approaches madness in this movie. There are some quotes that will be forever associated with this movie: "I like to think of myself as an oilman.", "Just say 'I am a sinner!'", "I just drank your milkshake!", and "I am done!" just to name a few. This movie is not for everyone, and you will be totally turned off as to how it ends--in a bowling alley no less. They certainly could have come up with a better way to end the conflict.Read full review
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film is presented in an assured and confident manner. Anderson is the most naturally gifted filmmaker of his generation, a fact that is evident here. Packed with breathtaking shots and scenes of boiling intensity, the movie makes no apologies about its tendency towards the grandeur inherent in telling an epic story that spans decades. Perhaps the first thing that will strike viewers will be the unavoidable use of imagery that comes naturally when setting a story in the old west. However, Anderson's latest effort also packs enough depth and complexity to let you know that it never relies solely on this foundation. Although ripe with symbolism, There Will Be Blood does not settle for merely the pretense of poignancy by imagery. Instead it gives us complex characters that prove to be the soul of the story. The film is anchored by the powerful presence of Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview, a silver miner turned oilman. Day-Lewis' performance is a thing of beauty. Equal parts larger-than-life and nuanced, his Daniel Plainview perfectly embodies the spirit of a salesman while putting across the multiple layers required for the portrayal of a man with an all-too-human desire for power. Critics of Daniel Day-Lewis performance will say that his portrayal is far too theatrical, a criticism also given to his portrayal of Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York. The reality is that Day-Lewis does not carry this to everyone of his performances. However, he knows when a character is supposed to be showman. Plainview is a salesman and without his swagger he would be nowhere as a businessman. What is truly outstanding is that, unlike lesser actors, Day-Lewis is able to bring out the more human aspects of Plainview that make him a fascinating character to watch. Joining Day-Lewis is Paul Dano as Eli Sunday. Dano balances out his character appropriately, giving Sunday the calm and silent demeanor that stands in sharp contrast to his passion for religion. While Dano does not deliver the performance of his career in this film, he does show hints of tremendous talent in his portrayal of an evangelical preacher that stands in opposition of Plainview's search for power. The rest of the cast simply takes a supporting role amidst this struggle. Providing the score for this conflict is Johnny Greenwood's haunting score. Greenwood manages to accentuate the barren desert setting with a score that is both minimalist and entrancing. Although it never rises to the showboating highs of Howard Shore, the music enhances the dark, pessimistic, and emotionally taxing tone of the film while never taking center stage away from the performances. There Will Be Blood is an achievement in cinematography, acting, writing and film-making unlike anything released in 2007. It is a film that puts its focus on wholly unlikable characters and dares to take you in deeper despite this fact. Like Raging Bull, it is a character study of a man who you would not normally want to know and who you will be unable to forget about after it is all said and done. You may not want to revisit this film anytime soon, but it will be for all the right reasons. It is a powerful and emotionally draining experience.Read full review
To start, I believe this movie is a masterpiece. Though I am certainly NOT knocking "No Country for Old Men", which was stellar in every aspect, I believe the scope and achievement by Paul Thomas Anderson was of greater detail and magnitude. Of which, I think this should have won the Oscar for Best Picture. Having said that, Daniel Day-Lewis was a shoe-in for winning Oscar for Best Leading performance by an Actor. Indeed, I have trouble recalling ANY performance of late that even comes close to rivaling the intensity and departure of belief that Lewis instilled as the self-made oil tycoon, Daniel Plainview. Anderson expresses many artistic touches throughout the film. In fact, dialog doesn't start until well after 15 minutes! The movie is gritty, honest and intense. The acting by pretty much all the actors is excellent and spot on. It's as if we are looking directly at history/factual events. As intense as Lewis steps into Plainview’s shoes, his acting is surprisingly NOT forced, as some of Gary Oldman's works tend to be. I don't know if Lewis ever engages in "Character Acting" but with this movie, I would believe so. The accents sound real, the body language looks real, and the clothing looks like it was found in a chest somewhere in backwoods Oklahoma or Nevada. The movie doesn't feel rushed whatsoever at any point. I find this amazing especially since it clocks in at just less than 3 hours. Why? Because Lewis' performance is SO gripping and enthralling! He's a loose cannon of pure, unchecked ambition and drive. It's as if one cannot wait to see what he'll do next! The score at first, I thought was the weirdest and most mis-placed I've ever heard. Then about halfway through the movie, I realized the score was dancing tango with the acting and current scene. It wasn't complementing the movie; it was PART of the movie. It significantly added to the unpredictability of the drama. This is something, I think is a bit unusual because most scores/movies tend to affect your emotions, they usually aren't an emotion all to themselves. The last 15-20 minutes of the movie is as close to perfection as I think ANY actor can EVER achieve. It is absolutely BRILLANT!!! I had to check myself to make sure I was breathing. The tension stayed high, the drama stayed high and the unpredictability factor went through the roof. The metaphors and delivery was sheer genius. And as the mostly bloodless movie promises in it's title, it finally delivers at the end with one act and one sentence that will be remembered for a VERY LONG TIME.Read full review
Not the epic masterpiece is was made out to be, but it was a thrilling, expansive film for film people. One thing PTA knows how to do is make long films. This is a very long film, but it's long because it has a lot to say. An A+ performance for Day-Lewis carries most of this film, but I do not believe Paul Dano was ready to take on such a big, involved role. The best aspect of the film, though, was Jonny Greenwood's score; it was brooding, intense, and made sense. A classic, but the kind you'll see flipping through the channels in 30 years.
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