A well produced, albeit slow and at times tedious narrative....

Rating: 5/10 (31 July 2010)

I watched this film with high hopes... based upon the IMDb rating that placed it amongst the best films of all time. By no means did it meet my expectations.... nor would I place it amongst other films that get such high ratings.
I cannot fault the acting or production of this movie, though the story and style were not to my tastes.
The story is brilliantly executed...Daniel Day Lewis, in particular, shows off his great acting ability and is entirely convincing in his role. The production of the film was satisfying....
HOWEVER
This film was so tediously slow and drawn out that for me, it was ultimately unsatisfying. At a few points throughout the movie, I considered stopping watching it entirely because the pace of this film left me slightly bored / semi-engaged. I only finished watching it because there was a short while left... and often I didn't really care about what happened next.
So, if being gently harrowed by a gritty slow moving drama, that depicts the hard living and mindsets of 1900's oil prospectors and the communities around them is your thing, perhaps you'll love this and it's execution.
On the other hand, if you seek inspiration or excitement or to get a buzz from what you watch, you won't find it in this film. One of the other reviews called it an "emotionally draining masterpiece" and I'm inclined to agree, though I'd rather watch films that are "emotionally fulfilling masterpieces".