Film Review

There Will Be Blood

I'm a big fan of Paul Thomas Anderson. I've seen all of his films. Granted, he's only made five, but I've seen 'em!

One thing you can count on in a PT Anderson film is an element of surprise. Not shock. Not startling. Just something surprising. It might sneak up on you or come out of nowhere, but it's there. And it's always a revelation into the insight of the character or the scenario. Most often, it occurs near the end of the film...sometimes with a sense of irony, or merely a sense of humor. The ending of There Will Be Blood is one of those moments. The last line of dialogue ("I'm finished.") is so rich in multiple meanings, that it brings the film to its incredible conclusion with a true sense of feeling that you've just been on an adventure. It's probably the most "complete" film adventure I've been on in a long while.

The performances are marvelous. Daniel Day-Lewis is stunning. He carries the film on his shoulders, appearing in literally 99% of the scenes. A truly remarkable performance.

Paul Dano is an unsung hero. Not his character(s)...the actor. I commented to my friend Michael as we were talking after the film that I was so impressed by Dano's performance not just because of his talent, but because he stood toe-to-toe with Daniel Day-Lewis and blew me away. Kudos to him and to Mr. Anderson for him. Dano shoulda been nominated for an Oscar(r)...though I don't know who he would have replaced in the category. It's just "one of those years" for great supporting roles, I guess.

The Direction is close to sublime. The Cinematography is beautiful and uses light in a multitude of ways to convey so much. Bright sunshine, campfire light, twilight, moonlight, gas-wall-sconce light...you name it, it's there and brilliantly utilized.

The score is also a wonder. Too bad it was deemed ineligible by the Motion Picture Academy (because it contains some music that wasn't originally composed for the film, but for another project). Art Direction and Costume Design are appropriately period.

Ultimately, I think it's a fantastic film. It is long. Our 7:40pm showing let out at 10:30pm. But the ride is worth it. So, if you enjoyed PT Anderson's past work (Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia & Punch-Drunk Love), see it. Even if you didn't - see this one. It's mesmerizing.