One of my favorite movies of 2007

Rating: 8/10 (13 April 2008)

This movie was my first exposure to the work of Paul Thomas Anderson and I now completely understand the hype surrounding his work. Despite it's apparent simplicity, I really enjoyed this movie. The movie focuses on Daniel Plainview, an oilman from the early years of the 20th century, and his rise to success. Along the way, he sets up shop in a small town called Little Boston and finds himself at odds with the town's preacher, Eli Sunday. On the surface, that appears to be all there is to this film. I found myself drawn in after the first 15 minutes of watching and I was immersed until it ended.
The film moves slowly, but you never really notice it. It's got a longer running time than most films (roughly 2 hours, 40 minutes) but I never found myself looking at the time, waiting for it to end. All-in-all, the movie didn't really lose it's pace with the exception of a section in the second act involving the a surprise arrival into Daniel's life. Seeing as how this movie is primarily a character piece, its the performances that really drive the film. Having finally seen the film, I can honestly say that Daniel Day-Lewis absolutely deserved the Academy Award he won for his portrayal of Plainview. This is a man we see slowly becoming obsessed with his business and absorbed into his success until the final act. Day-Lewis is so charasimatic an actor, that despite some of the cruel things we see Plainview pull off in this movie, I still found myself pushing for the character. Paul Dano also contributes a great performance in his role of Eli, the evangelical preacher and thorn in Plainview's side. My favorite moments in this film are the interactions between Plainview and Sunday, particularly in the final act. These two men worked fantastically together and you could always feel the underlying tension and hostility when they conversed.
One final note, I have to mention the great production value in this movie. If you had the benefit of purchasing the collector's edition DVD, be sure to take a look at the special features. It includes a 15-minute feature consisting of comparisons between pictures of the oil industry from that era and scenes from the movie. The production crew did an amazing job recreating early 20th century California. Everything from the wardrobe to the oil derricks, everything looks and feels authentic.
If this movie is the kind of quality Paul Thomas Anderson puts into his movies, then I've missed out on way too much and I know I'll be going back to check out his previous works.