In a surprising critique, legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has pointed out what he believes is a significant flaw in Paul Thomas Anderson's acclaimed 2007 masterpiece, 'There Will Be Blood'. While Tarantino ranks the film highly, he singled out actor Paul Dano's performance as a weak link.
Tarantino's Podcast Revelation
During a recent appearance on the 'Bret Easton Ellis' podcast, Tarantino discussed his all-time favourite films. He placed 'There Will Be Blood' at number five on his personal list, but not without a pointed reservation. The director expressed that the film had the potential to be his number one or two pick if not for a major issue.
"'There Will Be Blood' would stand a better chance to be number 1 or number 2 if it didn't have a big, giant flaw in it," Tarantino stated, directly naming Paul Dano as that flaw. He argued that the film was designed as a "two-hander"—a dramatic piece centred on two equally powerful characters—but Dano's portrayal failed to create that essential balance.
The Critique of a "Non-Entity" Performance
Tarantino elaborated that while watching the film, he felt Dano was unable to match the towering, Oscar-winning performance delivered by veteran actor Daniel Day-Lewis. The director did not mince words, using colourful language to describe his disappointment.
"He is weak sauce, man. He's a weak sister," Tarantino said. He even suggested an alternative casting choice, stating, "Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role." He concluded his criticism by calling Dano a "weak, weak, uninteresting guy" in the context of the film.
Importantly, Tarantino clarified that he was not labelling Dano's work as "terrible." Instead, he characterised it as a "non-entity performance"—one that simply did not hold its ground or create the necessary dramatic friction with Day-Lewis's iconic character, Daniel Plainview.
The Legacy of a Cinematic Giant
Despite this sharp criticism, Tarantino's inclusion of the film in his top five underscores its lasting impact and revered status in modern cinema. 'There Will Be Blood', released in 2007, is widely considered one of the greatest films of the 21st century, celebrated for its direction, score, and Day-Lewis's legendary performance.
Paul Dano played the dual roles of Paul and Eli Sunday, a young preacher who becomes the primary antagonist to Plainview's oil tycoon. The film's intense showdowns between the two characters are central to its narrative tension, which is precisely where Tarantino feels the dynamic fell short.
This critique from one iconic director about another's work offers a rare glimpse into the artistic judgments that shape cinematic opinions at the highest level. It sparks a debate on casting, on-screen chemistry, and what it truly takes for a performance to stand toe-to-toe with a force of nature like Daniel Day-Lewis.
