REEL CRITIC:

Daniel Day-Lewis is a rare actor who cherishes his artistry by carefully selecting quality projects without regard for their commercial potential. Consequently, since his first leading roles in the late 1980s, the 50-year-old actor has appeared in only 11 films.

This thoughtful approach to his career has resulted in numerous accolades including nominations for four Academy Awards, five Golden Globes and two Screen Actors’ Guild awards, each of which he has been awarded once. Day-Lewis’ most recent effort, “There Will Be Blood,” continues his string of artistic success. For his performance he received the 2008 best dramatic actor Golden Globe award and has been nominated for an Oscar and a Screen Actors’ Guild award in the same category. It appears Day-Lewis is the clear favorite for these last two awards, which have not yet been presented.

Day-Lewis plays Daniel Plainview, an oilman prospecting in California in the early 1900s. Early in his career Plainview literally lived at his wells, working around the clock and sleeping on the ground. Plainview had only moderate success early on, but his fortunes turned when he was approached by a young man from a central California farming community.

The young man, Paul Sunday (Paul Dano), solicited a payment for information regarding a possible oil-rich area. Paul claimed nothing will grow in the rocky soil, the water is tainted by salt, and oil literally bubbles to the surface. Unable to grow such staples as wheat for bread, the local residents, including Paul’s own family, raise goats and live a hardscrabble life.

When Plainview visits the town, known as Little Boston, he immediately suspects young Paul is correct and goes about securing oil leases that will allow him to drill but will require him to pay royalties to the townspeople should he strike oil. Accompanied by his adopted son H.W., the usually irascible Plainview tries to come across as a trustworthy yet plain-spoken man, but social niceties are clearly an effort for him.

The oilman appears to have no difficulty in negotiating with the locals until they are championed by Paul Sunday’s twin brother, Eli, a fire and brimstone preacher in the local church.

Tired of paying exorbitant shipping fees to the railroad, Plainview plans to construct a pipeline to the nearest shipping port.

Unfortunately, the land he must build across is owned by a rancher named Bandy, who is under the influence of Eli. Bandy will agree to grant right-of-way only if Plainview will accept Christ at the local church.

Eli uses the occasion to humiliate the obviously insincere penitent, a slight Plainview will not forget.

“There Will Be Blood” is an intense, character-driven film about an interesting time in California history. The oil industry was built by single-minded men who were often as ruthless as they were inventive and industrious. Certainly Plainview is a man possessed. He professes to hate nearly everyone and admittedly does not like to see anyone succeed but himself. Ultimately, the film chronicles the unhappiness that can result from an obsessive drive toward a single goal to the exclusion of all else. The inexorable sway that wealth holds over otherwise decent people is also explored.

It is nearly impossible to imagine anyone other than Day-Lewis playing the ruthless Plainview. As with many of the film’s characters, Plainview is richly drawn and many facets of his personality are revealed. One has the feeling of being in the story, of being taken back to a time that no longer exists. Day-Lewis’ performance is always true to the character and Plainview’s actions, while truly evil or at best amoral, are consistent.

Based loosely on a novel by Upton Sinclair and adapted by director Paul Thomas Anderson, “Let There Be Blood” keeps the viewer engaged despite a running time of two hours and 38 minutes. The cinematography is exceptional, and the score by Jonny Greenwood sets the mood.

Day-Lewis will most likely sweep the major awards this season for his performance in this film. If you want to see what many consider 2007’s best performance by an actor, you must see this film.

VAN NOVACK is the assistant vice president of institutional research and assessment at Cal State Long Beach and lives in Huntington Beach with his wife, Elizabeth.