As oil prices reached a record high of $100 per barrel earlier this month, P.T. Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" couldn't be more timely. This long-anticipated film, adapted from Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil!" (1927), follows the birth of the oil industry around the turn of the 20th century and a businessman's struggle for riches through hard-work and sacrifice.
Welcome to Little Boston, a small Californian town where an ocean of oil lies just below the ground and seeps through the earth. Daniel Plainview (played by Daniel Day-Lewis), a rugged individualist and prospector, sets out to strike black gold with his son H.W. (Dillon Freasier) after getting a tip from a local boy named Paul Sunday (Paul Dano).
Upon their arrival in the untapped oil fields, the father and son team meets the simple-minded Sunday family. Plainview intends to buy their land for cheap, but Paul's identical twin brother, Eli (also played by Dano), insists on a heftier sum. Eli is the preacher of a fundamentalist congregation, called the Church of the Third Revelation, and has ambitions of his own. Within no time, Plainview owns almost all of the property in the area and begins drilling. Meanwhile, Eli builds a bigger church. The two men teeter on the edge of insanity as they are slowly consumed by their unchecked desire for wealth and power. If greed is a bottomless pit, it looks a lot like an oil well.
Anderson became Hollywood's boy genius when he made "Boogie Nights" (1997) at the young age of 27. More than 10 years later, he has matured into one of America's most distinguished filmmakers, with a list of impressive credits to his name. "There Will Be Blood," his most recent release, is a cinematic masterpiece that merits a shower of Academy Awards for its solid script, powerhouse performances and original score.
Day-Lewis has already snagged the Golden Globe for best actor, making him a serious contender for the Oscar. His portrayal of Plainview recalls his performance as Bill the Butcher in "Gangs of New York" (2002), minus the thick New York accent. Both men are tough, tactless characters who wholeheartedly embrace the values of American ideology.
Plainview is an entrepreneurial leader, but he has no qualms about getting his hands dirty. He started his business by mining for silver and looks down on the bigwigs in the oil industry who have never lifted a pickax. Despite Plainview's admirable qualities, his overzealous work ethic and abrasive sense of competition progressively take over his life, as he neglects his fatherly duties toward his son. Day-Lewis brilliantly captures the inner turmoil of a man torn apart between feelings of love for his family and greed.
Yet Dano's breakthrough role as the whacked-out young minister is arguably more noteworthy. Day-Lewis has always been a dazzling actor, but Dano's performance marks a new step forward in his flourishing career. It is never clear whether Eli truly believes in his ridiculous superstitions or if he is just another demagogue who uses his pulpit as a source of power and control. During one of his ritualistic sermons, he attempts to cure a woman's arthritis by violently screaming "Get out, Devil!" over and over. In the words of Plainview, it is "quite a show." The actor gives his character an air of pretension, but retains his boyish vulnerability, which ultimately makes him more convincing.
Anderson's films never lack style - they each have their own distinct look and feel. The gothic font used for the credits adds an epic touch. The soundtrack, composed by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, is a wildly unique arrangement of eerie string and piano pieces that complement the dark mood of the movie perfectly.
The film is an indictment of capitalism and religion, but only in the hands of corrupt individuals who value their self-interest above moral duty. The loaded subject matter never feels preachy because the director doesn't beat his audience over the head with his message. "There Will Be Blood" is an entertaining movie with substance, a rare accomplishment that sets it apart as the best film of the year so far.
