Movie-There Will Be Blood

I had heard quite a bit about There Will Be Blood from friends who had seen the movie and from reviews of it. It was nominated for best picture and best director, and Daniel Day Lewis won for best actor for his role as Daniel Plainview.

Now some friends loved it, thought it was a great movie. Stella and I just talked about it this morning and she liked the contrast between the two evils of religion and capitalism. Seth liked the thought (and I hope I got this right) that asked the question, is the man evil or was he made evil by the pursuit of money or the economic system. And I can see both those views about the movie.

Alex and Sharon saw it, and conceded it was a very well made movie, with lots of interesting subplots and subtexts as mentioned above. They said Daniel Day Lewis earned his Oscar. But, they said, they would not watch this movie again. Alex said that even if it was on free TV, he would purposefully turn the channel.

I agree that it was well made, and all I agree with all the other interesting points made about the movie. But the fact is, I did not like it. I wish I had. I would feel more among the elite if I did, but I did not. And I agree, that I do not think I would watch this film again.

And the point Stella brought up made me think. There is no alternative to evil in this film. Everybody is either evil for due to greed or religion. there seems to be no good in any of them. And if there is one good character, the son, then he is both dead and mute. And maybe that is why I did not like it. For as much as I recognize the shit that is in the world, I also have an intrinsic optimism, the idea that there is SOME good, some where.

Daniel Day Lewis did a fine job. But I do think he overdid it a bit at the end, and seemed more like his character in "The Gangs of New York City." I did not care about him, did not root for him even against him. The film and the role failed to draw me into caring, either hating or loving. I have heard it said the opposite of love is not hate, but apathy. I think for a film to work, it cannot create apathy, and that is what this film did for me.