Written by Puño Estupendo
Very few times in my life have I actually agreed wholeheartedly with Oscar nominations let alone Oscar winners. After watching the two-disc DVD set of director Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood, Daniel Day-Lewis' win for Best Actor not only seems like a rare case of the award going to the right man, but also leaves me bewildered as to why this film didn't blatantly sweep the statues up entirely. Not only does Anderson prove without any doubt that he is one of the best filmmakers working today, but he's coming close to solidifying his place as one of the best of all time.
Day-Lewis plays an independent oil man at the turn of the 20th century named Daniel Plainview, who lacks neither ambition nor intelligence. He has charisma when he needs it and a single-mindedness that seems to insure his success. A young man named Paul sells some information to him about a town he comes from, Little Boston. Paul assures him that there is oil there and that the land can be had on the cheap, particularly the Sunday Ranch, which Paul's family owns.
Plainview travels up to the Sunday Ranch and a story of greed and guile, church and business, success and tragedy plays out. This is a true American portrait reflecting the ruthless ambition which offends us on certain levels, but reminds us that our country couldn't have been built without it. This is the crux of the film for me. Though it seems like you should naturally want to damn Plainview, hate him for some of the things he does, you also have to deem him a necessary evil at times. Though he takes advantage of situations and people, he is a catalyst where there was nothing. It's a "for better and for worse" situation, and it plays out brilliantly.
Article comments
1 - Josh Hathaway
I'm so looking forward to seeing this film. I just need to set aside the time to do it. It is definitely on my "must" list.