'Blood' draws in viewers with great performances
By Bruce R. Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Sunday, April 06, 2008
The good and the bad.
You get 'em both in one week.
Tom Cruise tried to make a solid thriller and wound up with "Lions for Lambs." Bad.
Daniel Day-Lewis tackled Sinclair Lewis and landed "There Will Be Blood." Good.
The difference lies in trust.
Cruise is such a control freak it's obvious he retained some kind of final editing privilege. Day-Lewis trusted director Paul Thomas Anderson and got an Oscar. Go figure.
Day-Lewis takes big risks in the film, too. Using a voice he heard on original recordings, he lands a characterization that's unique, iconic.
Day-Lewis plays an enterprising oilman who manages to build an empire on broken promises and sheer will. He's a snake oil salesman who uses his son to convince locals he's an honest, upstanding citizen. Down deep, though, he's a money grubber who admits, "I hate most people. I want no one else to succeed."
When a teen-age evangelist (Paul Dano) dares to halt his growing empire, Day-Lewis does whatever he can to thwart him. They're unlikely adversaries but the pairing works. Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson uses their shared moments to great effect, letting one's theatrics temper the other's silence.
What stands between them? Just $10,000. Day-Lewis won't pay the boy what he wants, so the kid does whatever he can to turn the tide. Bad karma is everywhere. Surprisingly, much of it rests on the restless oilman.
Dano (who was in "Little Miss Sunshine") has a creepy manner that hardly seems reverent. He, too, is ambitious but doesn't wear his intentions as openly. When disaster strikes, Dano is more than willing to point out what caused it.
Anderson sparks his film with countless sound effects. They're weird, curious and quite fitting -- particularly since there's not much to the plot. Based on Upton Sinclair's "Oil!", "There Will Be Blood" is really a one-man show.
In anyone else's hands, it might not have the same power. In Day-Lewis', it's like a two-term acting course, complete with oral exam and written essay.
Day-Lewis takes full advantage of his setting, practically bathing in oil as he advances his story of greed. He's pretty ruthless and willing to say or do whatever he must to make more money, unearth more oil.
The film is long -- longer than it needs to be -- but Anderson doesn't waste a moment. When he isn't impressing with visuals (the cinematography is gripping), he's delighting with sound. The music is jarring; the sound effects are among the best we've heard in years. You can't NOT notice them. Initially, there's a hum that sounds suspiciously like the tone used to introduce THX sound. Then, you realize, Anderson's attempting something more -- something that evolves into heartbeats, oil derricks and silence.
Silence, in fact, is probably what Anderson and Day-Lewis do best. The film features an opening segment without words. Dano and Day-Lewis' close encounters are sparked by those respites. And yet, you can't forget Day-Lewis' voice.
Almost erudite, it belongs exclusively to the character. It says plenty about him and what he's able to accomplish.
It's unlike any you've heard -- or possibly ever will hear again.
It's an original.
"There Will Be Blood" is, too.
Also: 'Walk Hard'
Even hitmakers have some misses. Which could be how you categorize "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story."
Little more than a spoof of "Ray," "Walk the Line" and other music biographies, the Judd Apatow comedy (directed by Jake Kasdan) recognizes the conventions but doesn't always know to tweak them.
John C. Reilly (a better actor than you think and a pretty darn good singer) stars as a country boy (think: Elvis) who accidentally chops his brother in half with a machete. That prompts dad to say "the wrong one died" and sets into motion a story of hits and misses. Naturally, Dewey interacts with everyone from Buddy Holly to the Beatles. He goes through every period known to singers and deals with more women problems than Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck did, combined.
Kristen Wiig (an Apatow favorite and a "Saturday Night Live" regular) plays his first wife, a teen-ager who's always pregnant. On the road, he meets his version of June Carter (Jenna Fischer) and begins a torrid relationship that results in hit-worthy duets. The two sing a very funny song that comes early in the film and is never topped - or matched. The film, as a result, dissolves into a tribute to costuming, much like an episode of "The Carol Burnett Show."
Paul Rudd, Jack Black and Jason Schwartzman try, gamely, to deflate The Beatles but they, too, don't have much more than goofy accents to offer.
Reilly, looking a lot like Nick Nolte in the later years, has to carry the film with his charm. By the time he rips his fifth sink out of the wall, you know he's tiring of the premise, too, but he plays it to the end and has a nice "Dreamgirls" moment that tries to make this something more than an "Epic Movie" sequel.
Because Kasdan has done such a good job of copying the films it spoofs, "Walk Hard" doesn't fall into that pit. It does, however, trip up more than it should. Fischer is better here than she is on "The Office" and Tim Meadows adds just the right touch as a sideman trying to keep Dewey from falling in a pit of degradation.
He doesn't listen, of course, but that's what makes "Walk Hard" work - occasionally. It's funny in places. Sadly, it could have been hilarious. Someone just didn't walk hard enough.
Also this week:
TV: "The Cosby Show," seasons seven and eight; "Hell's Kitchen," season one; "Matlock," season one; "Mythbusters," collection three; "Perry Mason"; "Sense and Sensibility"; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," season six
Movies: "The 11th Hour"; "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen"; "Ben 10"; "Day of the Dead"; "Fog City Mavericks"; "Innocent Voices"; "Lions for Lambs"; "Looking for Cheyenne"; "Music Within"; "Mystery of the Nile"; "P2"; "Reservation Road"; "The Water Horse"
You get 'em both in one week.
Tom Cruise tried to make a solid thriller and wound up with "Lions for Lambs." Bad.
Daniel Day-Lewis tackled Sinclair Lewis and landed "There Will Be Blood." Good.
The difference lies in trust.
Cruise is such a control freak it's obvious he retained some kind of final editing privilege. Day-Lewis trusted director Paul Thomas Anderson and got an Oscar. Go figure.
Day-Lewis takes big risks in the film, too. Using a voice he heard on original recordings, he lands a characterization that's unique, iconic.
Day-Lewis plays an enterprising oilman who manages to build an empire on broken promises and sheer will. He's a snake oil salesman who uses his son to convince locals he's an honest, upstanding citizen. Down deep, though, he's a money grubber who admits, "I hate most people. I want no one else to succeed."
When a teen-age evangelist (Paul Dano) dares to halt his growing empire, Day-Lewis does whatever he can to thwart him. They're unlikely adversaries but the pairing works. Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson uses their shared moments to great effect, letting one's theatrics temper the other's silence.
What stands between them? Just $10,000. Day-Lewis won't pay the boy what he wants, so the kid does whatever he can to turn the tide. Bad karma is everywhere. Surprisingly, much of it rests on the restless oilman.
Dano (who was in "Little Miss Sunshine") has a creepy manner that hardly seems reverent. He, too, is ambitious but doesn't wear his intentions as openly. When disaster strikes, Dano is more than willing to point out what caused it.
Anderson sparks his film with countless sound effects. They're weird, curious and quite fitting -- particularly since there's not much to the plot. Based on Upton Sinclair's "Oil!", "There Will Be Blood" is really a one-man show.
In anyone else's hands, it might not have the same power. In Day-Lewis', it's like a two-term acting course, complete with oral exam and written essay.
Day-Lewis takes full advantage of his setting, practically bathing in oil as he advances his story of greed. He's pretty ruthless and willing to say or do whatever he must to make more money, unearth more oil.
The film is long -- longer than it needs to be -- but Anderson doesn't waste a moment. When he isn't impressing with visuals (the cinematography is gripping), he's delighting with sound. The music is jarring; the sound effects are among the best we've heard in years. You can't NOT notice them. Initially, there's a hum that sounds suspiciously like the tone used to introduce THX sound. Then, you realize, Anderson's attempting something more -- something that evolves into heartbeats, oil derricks and silence.
Silence, in fact, is probably what Anderson and Day-Lewis do best. The film features an opening segment without words. Dano and Day-Lewis' close encounters are sparked by those respites. And yet, you can't forget Day-Lewis' voice.
Almost erudite, it belongs exclusively to the character. It says plenty about him and what he's able to accomplish.
It's unlike any you've heard -- or possibly ever will hear again.
It's an original.
"There Will Be Blood" is, too.
Also: 'Walk Hard'
Even hitmakers have some misses. Which could be how you categorize "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story."
Little more than a spoof of "Ray," "Walk the Line" and other music biographies, the Judd Apatow comedy (directed by Jake Kasdan) recognizes the conventions but doesn't always know to tweak them.
John C. Reilly (a better actor than you think and a pretty darn good singer) stars as a country boy (think: Elvis) who accidentally chops his brother in half with a machete. That prompts dad to say "the wrong one died" and sets into motion a story of hits and misses. Naturally, Dewey interacts with everyone from Buddy Holly to the Beatles. He goes through every period known to singers and deals with more women problems than Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck did, combined.
Kristen Wiig (an Apatow favorite and a "Saturday Night Live" regular) plays his first wife, a teen-ager who's always pregnant. On the road, he meets his version of June Carter (Jenna Fischer) and begins a torrid relationship that results in hit-worthy duets. The two sing a very funny song that comes early in the film and is never topped - or matched. The film, as a result, dissolves into a tribute to costuming, much like an episode of "The Carol Burnett Show."
Paul Rudd, Jack Black and Jason Schwartzman try, gamely, to deflate The Beatles but they, too, don't have much more than goofy accents to offer.
Reilly, looking a lot like Nick Nolte in the later years, has to carry the film with his charm. By the time he rips his fifth sink out of the wall, you know he's tiring of the premise, too, but he plays it to the end and has a nice "Dreamgirls" moment that tries to make this something more than an "Epic Movie" sequel.
Because Kasdan has done such a good job of copying the films it spoofs, "Walk Hard" doesn't fall into that pit. It does, however, trip up more than it should. Fischer is better here than she is on "The Office" and Tim Meadows adds just the right touch as a sideman trying to keep Dewey from falling in a pit of degradation.
He doesn't listen, of course, but that's what makes "Walk Hard" work - occasionally. It's funny in places. Sadly, it could have been hilarious. Someone just didn't walk hard enough.
Also this week:
TV: "The Cosby Show," seasons seven and eight; "Hell's Kitchen," season one; "Matlock," season one; "Mythbusters," collection three; "Perry Mason"; "Sense and Sensibility"; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," season six
Movies: "The 11th Hour"; "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen"; "Ben 10"; "Day of the Dead"; "Fog City Mavericks"; "Innocent Voices"; "Lions for Lambs"; "Looking for Cheyenne"; "Music Within"; "Mystery of the Nile"; "P2"; "Reservation Road"; "The Water Horse"
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
