Holy cow dung, friends! I had the great fortune of seeing an advanced screening (via friend’s living room couch) of Paul Thomas (no longer PT) Anderson’s newest and best film yet, There Will Be Blood. This movie should be called, There Will Be Blood, Amazing Direction and Cinematography, Grade-A Performances, and One of the Most Fascinating Soundtracks, Yeah, Soundtracks, I’ve Ever Heard!
I don’t want to give anything away, because like my experience with this film, I knew absolutely nothing about it. Nothing, except that it was based on Upton Sinclair’s Oil! and was directed by the same man who wrote and directed Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love and Boogie Nights. And that’s all you need to know, really, if that, even.
So in refusing to speak much about this razor-sharp film in efforts to not ruin it for you, what can I say in this review? Well, for starters, this is Anderson’s best film yet. He’s managed to bring the humanity of Magnolia, the stark realism of Boogie Nights, and the beauty of Punch Drunk Love to make a film that stands on its own two feet as proof that the business of filmmaking remains truer than ever. Any film that can go 30 minutes without a single line of dialogue and keep you transfixed at the edge of your seat deserves the excitement that I am giving it. And to have just learned that the music, which to me is as unique as the film itself, was created by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood was an added bonus.
But the magic isn’t coming from Anderson’s vision alone. At the apex of this phenomena is the undeniably excellent performance of Daniel Day-Lewis who dives headfirst and shoots out gloriously entertaining as a late-19th Century American silver miner who becomes the richest oil baron of his time. Like his previous roles, Daniel-Day Lewis imbues his performances with the subtleties and nuances and outright acting qualities that could only lead you to believe that this man once existed or rather, that you were watching this turn-of-the-Century man right there and then…with absolutely no possibility of seeing a 21st Century actor.
And right behind him is the very brave Paul Dano who, as memorable as he was in Little Miss Sunshine as the troubled teenage son, gives a performance that almost comes eye to eye with that of Day-Lewis’. Nonetheless, this is bound to be the film that actually puts Dano on the map.
This filmic trifecta of badass is completed by Anderson’s knife-fine, en-pointe storytelling. He never rushes and never let’s us get ahead. At over 2.5 hours (the Director’s Cut) you need to be prepared for this film.
This is a period drama that crushes the stigma of the genre’s name, by providing its viewers a filmgoing experience so impenetrably good, that you forget that the US is almost oil-dry! Surely to be one of my Top 10 Films of 2007!
There Will Be Blood (USA, 2007)
Based on the book “OIL!” by Upton Sinclair
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano
Original Music by Jonny Greenwood
At midnight on Saturday there’s an early screening of There Will Be Blood playing the Loews in Georgetown. I already have two tickets.
December 26, 2007 at 2:56 pmYahmobee at that midnight screening as well. Is it Saturday yet?
December 26, 2007 at 7:45 pmdamn, now i really want to see it. i could have seen it. damn. damn, i say. this was written to punish me. nice review.
December 27, 2007 at 9:24 pmThis movie’s getting some fantastic reviews overall. It’s got an overall score of 94 over at Metacritic.
December 28, 2007 at 8:44 amHow many times can I use the word “overall” overall?
December 28, 2007 at 8:45 amHope you guys enjoy it as much as I. I had to go out and buy the soundtrack. It’s f*cking amazing. And I remember thinking the whole time, this sh*t is different for a movie soundtrack. Had no idea it was by Greenwood. I’m actually thinking about the music for Radiohead differently now.
December 28, 2007 at 10:37 amIt seems like someone had the good sense to make a movie in which Daniel Day-Lewis gets to play his Gangs of New York character once again.
Kudos to the producers of There Will Be Blood.
December 28, 2007 at 1:49 pmi don’t know, duder. check out the movie first, if you haven’t already, then tell me if it’s the same guy. heh, maybe same mustache.
December 28, 2007 at 2:36 pmI was reading up on that soundtrack and apparently Greenwood and Anderson decided to only use instruments that were available at that time.
December 29, 2007 at 2:57 amThe sountrack is integral in this movie to creating the mood. It almost seems to take on the sort of epic tragic qualities of a narrator or “chorus”. Check it out, it’s quite good.
December 30, 2007 at 6:15 pmOh my lord. My brain is still hurting. Y’know a lot of reviews keep referring to Citizen Kane as this movie’s predecessor and It’s definitely up there simply on the level of ambition. But having survived this thing the movie I think is a more accurate reference point is Raging Bull.
And that final scene. Good gawd, that final scene! Daniel Day Lewis is basically the greatest actor walking the face of the planet.
Wow. Just wow.
December 30, 2007 at 7:53 pmRaging Bull seems more dead-on than Kane. But yeah, I think Daniel Day-Lewis is as good as it gets right now.
December 31, 2007 at 9:57 amIts very, very slow…but very, very good. I knew right away from the slow start to expect an “Unforgiven” like unwraveling of his character…and damn, was I right or what.
This movie kinda reminded me of no country for old men a lot too. I left the theatre thinking “what just happened?”—and there was alot to think about when it was all said and done.
Daniel Day Lewis is sure to get an oscar nod for this one…and the ending!!! Holy shitballs! He just stole the show…I can’t think of one performance all year that even came close!
January 14, 2008 at 10:54 pmThis is exactly how excited I was after seeing this movie…this performance. This is why i felt sorry for Paul Dano and hoped that he’d be able to be at Day-Lewis’ level. Fortunately, he too came through. Two amazing performances and I think that DDL deserves earned his Oscar.
January 15, 2008 at 11:46 am
I want to see this film. I love Daniel Day-Lewis. What a man!
Thanks for the review.
December 26, 2007 at 11:22 am