[420n7strings]

It certainly is an interesting movie...but it definately fell short of all the hype. First of all, let me just say though, Daniel Day Lewis is one of the best actors of our time...the guy immerses himself so far into a character I don't know how he goes back to life, let alone act in movies so frequently (sorta). I think this was an easier role for him though in that Daniel Plainview shared a lot of character traits with William Cutting (Gangs of New York) but they were still different enough. Also, I felt the film held a lot of historical merit in that it was, to my knowledge, an accurate depiction of early American oil industry and the industrialization of the Southwest.

But outside of the abovementioned qualities, I think people got the wrong idea about this movie. Don't get me wrong, the cinematography, aestethics, set-depth, music, dialogue and the related were superb...I just think most people didn't see where the director was going with it. I realize he has a large cult following and is well regarded, so give him more credit than the salient messages of this film. I'm not trying to flame or anything...but you can't say that critiquing the oil industry by any means groundbreaking. If all the wanna-be film students I know weren't raving about it I wouldn't have a problem with it...but I think people are just trying to make it into something it isn't...maybe the director had something to do with that...I'm not sure.

What the movie DID do, that I believe has been much needed for some time, was make the audience highly uncomfortable...I mean an immoral, oil tycoon making a devout religious authority denounce his faith and prophetism is really assuming a lot of risk as a director. Not only does it question what contemporary society has been bitching about for some time, such as the collectively corrupt oil industry, our society's fixation on the dollar...yada yada yada...but it also elicited a deeper self-reflection from the audience, most notably family values, prescribed Christian dogma etc...I won't delve into my own interpretations of these social criticisms, but I will say that the film sends one overlaying message, that I held to be the most important:

EVERYONE EXPLOITS EVERYONE

In conclusion I think this type of movie has been needed for a long time...in combination with No Country For Old Men, I think uber-social critical movies are making a comeback!

[JJ Rodriguez]

I'VE ABANDONED MY BOY!!!!

The ending was hilarious too. I liked it, it was kind of slow, but that's about my only complaint.

[420n7strings]

I liked his pacing...he's an expert at that. At least it didn't fall short of the first minute and a half like Magnolia =/

[Xaios]

Weird freaking movie. Weird but good.

[sakeido]

I just watched it as well. Weird but good, and I agree with the unsettling feeling you have going the whole movie.. between Day-Lewis's INCREDIBLY good performance and the most creative soundtrack I have ever heard, the whole thing was just such a weird experience. It couldn't end in any other way.

[TheHandOfStone]

I need to watch this movie badly...

If I have a milkshake, and you have a milkshake, and I have a straw...and my straw reaches accrrooooosss the room and starts to drink your milkshake, I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE! I DRINK IT UP!!!

[Lucky Seven]

Originally Posted by 420n7strings

In conclusion I think this type of movie has been needed for a long time...in combination with No Country For Old Men, I think uber-social critical movies are making a comeback!

I think it's awesome too.

[philkilla]

I really need to see this movie.

[playstopause]

So... Just saw it (i know, i'm late.)

What a freaking great movie that was. A MOVIE. Not entertaiment you watch with a pop-corn, a MOVIE. PT Anderson is one of, if not THE best director of his generation imo. Each frame, each scene is totally mastered. At his young age, PT will bring us many other great movies (as he already did). That was truly magnificent.

Needless to say, stellar performance by Daniel-Day Lewis. STELLAR!