There Will Be Blood

In spite of the hype about being the Best Picture for 2007, “There Will Be Blood,” starring Daniel Day-Lewis, is essentially a character study. Certainly there are strong elements in this movie, but there are weaknesses as well. At the center of “There Will Be Blood,” is Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis), an oilman who makes his living swindling people out of their land, drilling for oil and keeping the profits. He finds himself in California, looking to expand his empire. With him are his partner, Fletcher (Ciarán Hinds) and his son, H.W. (Dillon Freasier). Standing in the way of Daniel acquiring prospective oil land is preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), who wants Daniel to donate $10,000 to his church before Eli allows his father to sell their land. Once the drilling starts, there is an accident and H.W. loses his hearing. Daniel is an interesting man and for the first half of the movie, he is an appropriate protagonist: charismatic, easygoing, pragmatic and smart. He knows what he wants and how to get it. There are also glimpses of a darker side, one filled with ruthlessness, rage and violence. The more wealth and power Daniel accumulates, the more corrupted he becomes. He sends his son away and he murders a man. By the last third of the movie, Daniel is quite psychotic, more monster than man. The strength of the film is Day-Lewis’s performance. Although it seems that director Paul Thomas Anderson’s intent is to portray Daniel Planview as a tragic character, one whose conscience ultimately causes his fall, that intent is not really clear. In fact, it’s debatable that Daniel has a conscience given the violence of the final scene. And the musical score by Jonny Greenwood is the most irritating I’ve heard in a long time. At 2 hours and 40 minutes, “There Will Be Blood” is an investment of time. It’s interesting, even disturbing, but not the Best Picture for 2007. (1/8/08)