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At the turn of the 20th century, the country was run by self-made men who weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Starting out as a silver prospector in the late 1800s, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) struck it rich in oil—mostly due to plenty of luck and a whole lot of talent for sweet-talking people out of their money.
The oil business has its dangers, so when a man on his crew is killed in a well, Plainview adopts the man’s infant son. He and his son, H. W. (played as a child by Dillon Freasier), travel from town to town in Texas, promoting their “family business” and winning the people’s trust. But Plainview meets his match when he wanders onto the oil-rich Sunday ranch and meets shrewd evangelist Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). Both men know how to inspire (and control) the people around them—and neither one is willing to back down and give up that control to the other.
Perhaps it’s just that my attention span is suffering during this year’s annual December film flurry, but I didn’t have the patience (or the energy) for Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic drama (which was based on Oil! by Upton Sinclair). Though Day-Lewis is definitely an incredibly talented actor—one who gives a compelling performance as the determined businessman who will say anything and use anyone to make a buck—this is practically a one-man show. And even Daniel Day-Lewis can’t keep a drawn-out drama like this one captivating for two and a half hours. While the film offers an interesting character study, it’s probably 45 minutes longer than necessary—and it moves too slowly to keep things engaging for such a long time.
While I loved Dano’s performance as the silently determined big brother in last year’s runaway indie hit, Little Miss Sunshine, he failed to convince me this time around. His character isn’t developed especially well—and his performance lacks the energy and intensity (not to mention the sincerity) of the successful evangelist he’s supposed to portray.
There Will Be Blood definitely has some wonderful moments—as well as one fascinating character. But there’s one question that I keep coming back to: Who will want to sit through this movie? Other than awards committees, I really don’t know. There Will Be Blood is long and slow and dramatic, and you’ll most likely feel a bit perplexed once it’s all over—which makes it one of those movies that the awards committees will go all tingly over (in fact, they already have). But while I can appreciate Day-Lewis’s performance—and some of the stunning cinematography—I walked out of the theater feeling drained and, for the most part, indifferent. It’s just hard to care about the story and the characters for two and a half long, drawn-out hours. Granted, There Will Be Blood is much better (and much less perplexing) than Anderson’s Magnolia. But for most moviegoers (mainstream moviegoers, especially), it still isn’t worth the time—or the exhaustion.
DVD Review:
I’ll admit that I didn’t fall in love with There Will Be Blood the way that many critics did. I did, however, appreciate the film’s classy DVD. Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson chose features that accentuate the film’s historically authentic feel—like The Story of Petroleum, a 26-minute silent promotional documentary from 1923 (with new music by the film’s composer, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood). It’s not exactly something you’ll want to watch repeatedly—but, after watching it, you’ll be amazed by how much Anderson drew from the documentary to design the film. There’s also 15 Minutes, a DVD feature that shows a number of old photos and other research materials, placed side-by-side with stills and clips from the movie to further prove the film’s authenticity. In addition to these features, you’ll also find a couple of extra scenes, teasers and trailers, and some dailies. The only thing missing is a director commentary—which would have made a great addition to the DVD.
If you missed There Will Be Blood in theaters—and you still don’t get those “I drink your milkshake” references—get yourself in the loop by renting it from your friendly neighborhood video store (or Netflix, if that’s how you roll). Just for the record, the milkshake stuff is at the very end, so feel free to skip the slow parts. But if you’re a fan of the movie (and its Oscar-winning cinematography), the extra disc is worth checking out—as long as you can overlook the lack of commentary.
