Let me tell a little story ’bout a man named Jed.
Who’s ambition left a trail of the cheated and the dead.
He dug down deep for the bubblin’ crude
and took a bowling pin to the head of one dude!
Oil. Black Gold. Texas Tea. Asperger’s syndrome.
I know it sounds like it would be a horror film or something, but it’s not.
There Will Be Blood, is a film based on Upton Sinclair’s novel, “Oil”. This adaptation to film (Dec 26th) by Paul Thomas Anderson tells the tale of Daniel Plainview, played masterfully by Daniel Day-Lewis, a turn of the century Oil Man seeking his riches drilling for oil. He’s a man possessed with ambition who crosses a demon-caster-outer of equal ambition in young preacher, Eli Sunday, played in like masterfulness by Paul Dano. You may remember Dano from his role in Little Miss Sunshine. He played the non-verbal big brother. Here, however, he finds his voice in big tent revival kinda way! Oh man! Both these guys were so intense I thought either would snap at any moment. I must give the award for snap-at-any-momentness to Daniel Day-Lewis. An award he must have won tons of times. The guy is simply consumed by his roles to the point of drooling (him not me)! As Plainview, he was so intense I wanted to warn those around him of their danger. I almost yelled “Run! Run, lady buying fruit! He’ll kill you!” at one point. (spoiler alert) He didn’t kill the lady buying fruit. OK, there was no lady buying fruit. The point is that Daniel Day-Lewis is in a league almost alone when it comes to this acting thing. He must make those around him cower in fear or become better actors. I think I would pee my pants if in a scene with him. “Wardrobe!”

I brought Jeff Hatfield to this screening. He pointed out how the score, by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, was unstable and erratic at times. I replied that it reflected Daniel Plainview’s character which made me sound like a super cool film aficionado! The problem is that Jeff has known me since I was a 15 year old idiot and not much has changed. I need new friends without history!

In this powerful epic, Daniel Plainview has big goals. One is to get an oil pipeline out to San Luis Obispo, California to join Union Oil’s pipeline. This is where my story and this story intersect. My Grandad (and son’s namesake), William Watson Hay, Jr. was born in San Luis Obispo to William Watson Hay, my Great Grandad, who worked for Union Oil right when this story takes place! What!? Crazy! I’m glad my kin never crossed a man like Plainview, otherwise there may never have been a ChrisMundell.com or a ChrisMundell.me!

This film is original and powerful. It’s not your cookie cutter historical epic and that’s refreshing. I expect Oscar nods for Day-Lewis, the film and maybe even Dano. All well deserved. Heck, the “conversion” scene alone deserves it! Avoid the shopping madness this December 26th. Go to the movies.

I did not hate it!