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I finally saw There Will Be Blood starring Daniel Day-Lewis this weekend and of course I had to tell my faithful readers all about it. Simply put this movie is an experience. You are brought into the world of oilman Daniel Plainview, played by Day-Lewis and you follow him from his humble beginnings as a prospector in 1898 up until the 1920s when his wealth has been realized. In between you are taken on a journey of perseverance and madness. Accompanying you is the haunting score by Jonny Greenwood, better known as the lead guitarist for Radiohead. This is by far Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s best movie to date.

This movie tells a simple story, and a very American story. Daniel Plainview is on a mission to obtain his riches and, along with his son H.W., he comes up with the perfect business plan. By selling himself as a family business and by overseeing production himself, instead of contracting out, he is able to sell his something as more than just a greedy corporation. His family angle allows him to ingratiate himself to the small towns he moves in on. Plainview’s relationship with his son is one of the true pleasures in the film. It is made obvious that he loves the boy, but their relationship can also be described as one of business. When an accident befalls his son, it is amazing to watch their relationship change.

If nothing else this is a film propelled by the characters in it. At the heart is the battle of will between Plainview and Eli, a young preacher played by Paul Dano. These are two men who have a vision and two very divergent ideas about how to achieve success. They battle throughout the film and each may lose a battle or two, but only one wins the war. Paul Dano is a fine young actor who stands toe to toe with the great Daniel Day-Lewis. The future looks bright for Dano.

One of my favorite aspects of the movie is that they build what seems to be a fully working oil derrick. This movie does a great job of showing how hard it was to work these jobs and takes us back to a time when the hard work was done by people, not machines. What always amazed me about the turn of the 20th century is that a man could become successful based solely on hard work and drive. These days it seems like social movement has dampened a bit as people don’t always move up based on merit. Plainview is the type of man who threatens his competitors as well as those he is trying to buy land from. His wild man tactics would most likely get him arrested or sued today. Back then it was about men sitting out a table and hammering out deals. People signed contracts but could also be held to their words. In this movie, the law is nowhere to be seen.

What is amazing about this movie is that you learn very little about Daniel Plainview’s past or where he came from and yet you become very interested in his life for as long as you are a part of it. In the first 15 minutes of the movie not a word is spoken and yet you are enthralled. This of course is a tribute to the Director Anderson, but even more so to the actor Day-Lewis. You can read his face, feel his pain and watch his actions as he struggles to dig under the ground for the liquid money that flows beneath.

So go to watch the performances by Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano, or go to see the story, or you can even go for the scenery. Bottom line, you have to go. Does it help that this movie was nominated for best picture?

Video courtesy of youtube.