Dano holding his own against Day-Louis to the last point in the tiebreaker for the match

Rating: Null/10 (16 February 2008)

Magnolia's (1999) director Paul Thomas Anderson tells the story of turn-of-the-(20th)century oil legend Daniel Plainview (fictional character) in such a solidly linear fashion that it can almost be divided into chapters (as some other movies do). The focus of the chapters is in the scenes highly-charged with palpable tension, so mesmerizing that the audience will not notice the passage of the some 160 minutes. In addition to rewarding the audience generously for the admission price they paid, these scenes also serve admirably for Plainview's character development.
Among this rich pageantry of cinematic feast, the particularly memorable ones are Plainview's initially punishing experience as a lone oil prospector, his adoption of an orphan infant H.W., his brilliant speech to small sellers of potentially oil-rich land, his several duels (throughout the movie) with evangelist fanatic priest Eli Sunday, his exuberance at striking oil and his devastation at his adopted son going deaf, his soulful conversation with brother Henry that he never knew he had, his violent reaction to perspective buyers unintended insult of offering to buy him off so that he can have enough time to care for his deaf son, his even more violent reaction upon finding out that Henry is an impostor, his reluctant baptism as a price to buy the only piece of land that stands in his way of constructing a pipeline that will free him from the clutch of his rivals and finally, the dramatic conclusions (which many have pointed out, quite legitimately, have become a tad melodramatic).
Needless to say, this movie is all Daniel Day-Lewis. Right from the charismatic speech in which his eyes, brows and lips collaborate to portray the contradictory and controversial Daniel Plainview both from the surface and inside, the audience sees this self-centered, pragmatic and ruthless man take shape with chilling intimacy. At the same time, his simple longing for kinship from his adopted son and impostor brother exudes an irresistible demand on the audience for their sympathy.
Due credit however must also be given to Paul Duno whose portrayal of the disturbed brother in "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006) was quite unforgettable. In "There will be blood", in the mental and psychological duel of soulless religious pseud with ruthless capitalist that is not unlike a see-saw tennis game, young talent Duno stays up there with veteran Day-Lewis up to the last minute, holding his own. His portrayal of Eli Sunday would have been exactly the way Richard Dawkins wanted had the author of "The God delusion" been the director of this movie. It's unfortunate that he ran up against Javier Bardem for best supporting actor in BAFTA, and a gross injustice that he was not even nominated for either Golden Globe or Oscar.
One thing about this movie that will not go unnoticed is its background music that continuously threatens to take the foreground. It is good  creative use of percussion and favourite pulsating strings used liberally for mood-enhancing and tension building  but at times just a little overwhelming.