Oil. . .

I don't do many movie reviews here at the Toast, but on ocassion and seemingly more often now since I have a nice Beatrice to hang with, movie-watching is moving up the rank and file of things to do. As drink hard and play stupid descend the same list.

Anyway, we watched There Will Be Blood starring Daniel Day-Lewis as a slightly deranged oilman in the early part of the 20th century. I won't give away any plot details as this is a movie that all should see with an open and unadulterated mind, but take my advice for what it's worth and see this film.

I've never been a great fan of Mr. Lewis until I saw Gangs of New York, which also has a main character driven by greed, power, a victim of their own ego-centric sadism. Nevertheless, I am now a fan of Daniel Day-Lewis. His character, Daniel Plainview, was consistent, powerful, uniquly believable and at the resolution of the plot I had no idea whether I hated him or loved him or loathed him.

Another high point of the film was the soundtrack scored by Jonny Greenwood. The music was chilling and interesting and filled perfectly the long moments of the film that lacked dialogue. Superb scoring, especially the scene late in the movie as Mr. Plainview and his half-brother layout the survey for a pipeline. I can still hear it in my head as I type, enchanting and lonesome.

There is a simple lesson in this movie conveyed through a complex meld of drama, violence, religion and perseverence. The lesson is never let another man drink your milkshake. Or something like that.