Adapted from “Oil!” by Upton Sinclair, this epic story about greed, family, and business set during the end of the 19th century follows oil entrepreneur Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis in an Oscar-winning performance) throughout his life.
The story starts in 1898 with Daniel discovering a well in a remote region that could be harvested for oil. He soon assembles a team and drills his first oil after the death of one of his fellow men who happened to be a child. Daniel raises the bastard son as his own and names him H.W. and putting him as his business partner in his newly developed oil drilling business. The film picks up when a man named Eli Sunday visits Daniel and tells him of his hometown rich in oil. When Daniel arrives at this site he buys all of the land and the results are quite astonishing as the movie has endless twists and turns until the final frame.
There Will Be Blood is a complete masterpiece and easily the best picture of 2007 despite the fact that the Best Picture Oscar went to the Coen Bothers’ also masterfully made film, No Country For Old Men. The one thing that makes this movie simply glow is Daniel Day-Lewis’ absolutely mesmerizing performance. I mean, this performance is a contender for the best performance of the decade and one that will be looked at for ages and ages to come. Imagine Daniel Day-Lewis’ amazing performance in Scorsese’s Gangs of New York, only Daniel Day-Lewis is in every scene. This is director Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece and should not be missed. I myself have seen it three times already. There Will be Blood is bound to be one of the top movies of this decade, go see it now!