There Will Be Blood
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Mary Elizabeth Barrett, Paul Dano, Dillon Freasier, Christine Olejniczak
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer(s): Paul Thomas Anderson, Upton Sinclair
Studio: Paramount Vantage, Miramax International
Rating: R
Official Bar Score: 
Set in the California plains during the industrial dawning of the petroleum boom around the turn of the century, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) a struggling silver minor finds the oil strike of a lifetime. He and his son, H.W. are tipped off on a massive oil mine flowing like an ocean beneath the grounds of a not too distant rural community. Eli Sunday, the religious figure head, sought fortune and flourishing for his town by inviting Daniel and his team of minors to dig in to their hallowed grounds. Once settled, good intent slowly dissolves into discontent as the two clash in a battle of power, greed, and faith. No aspect of society and human nature are left unblemished as the two mongers destroy the very fabric which ties them to their families and God. We see how corruption can consume one to the bone and how greed takes precedence over God as this tale of success and consequence unfolds.
This film is an adaptation of the novel “Oil!”. I have never read the book but I found the movie to be very intriguing. Just seeing the transition between the agricultural age and the industrial age captivated my attention. If you’re looking for big booms or fast paced adrenaline this is not the movie to watch. This movie relies solely on the acting talent of its cast (Centering around Daniel Day-Lewis who performs powerfully in this film.) and the inflictions on a society of a not too distant past. I thought this movie delivered some goods and is worthy of its Oscar nomination. It is slow but once you get involved with the characters its hard not to see through until its semi-abrupt end.
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[...] There Will Be Blood - $2,561,000 ($34,986,000 - 9 week total) [...]
Solid film, one mistake with the review though, Paul Sunday invites Daniel and his son down not Eli, though it’s easy to make that mistake. My only gripe was that I felt that there really wasn’t any need for the film to be nearly 3 hours other than that my attention was held the entire time and I was entertained.
You know what, that is what I get for watching a bootleg of this. I’m coppin’ it next opportunity. I have liked everything PT Anderson has touched (except “Magnolia”, that was awful) and I like what I saw. Daniel Day Lewis is a glorious fucking asshole in this.