I just got back from the theater. I'm disappointed. Before I explain why let me tell you what I liked and loved about the film.
- Anderson is still a visionary and will continue to do so until he goes insane and drives a bus full of children off a bridge, which after seeing this movie, is entirely possible. More ahead on that...
- The film is brilliantly acted. Oh my god. Joaquin Phoenix is going to win his first Oscar with this performance. Every time he was on the screen it was mesmerizing. I haven't see an actor completely transform like that since, well, Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood. Phoenix's face alone could win best supporting oscar because of all the little movements and quips that portrayed what was going on in his characters unstable head. It was truly a brilliant performance. Hopefully it doesn't go unnoticed like Michael Shannon's performance in Take Shelter did last year. The two are similar. Phillip Seymour Hoffman should also get an Oscar nomination for his just powerfully solid acting. Phoenix stole the show, but Hoffman was his usual amazing self. These two are going to rack up awards this year and they have earned it.
- The score and cinematography were both couple into a beautiful blend of wonder in this thing. I read that Anderson filmed the entire thing in Panasonic 65 mm which is a first since 1992's Hamlet. You could tell. Each shot was gorgeous and you still had PT's signature tracking and long takes. It was a very nice watch. I wish I saw it on a bigger screen.
Those reasons alone are enough to go see this movie. Please, go see it, but be aware...
PT Anderson is ****ing insane.
This film was very disjointed. It reminded me a lot of watching The Tree of Life. It was beautiful and well acted but I had no idea of what the hell was going on or that there was even a story being told. Anderson's previous films have had plot. They had a resolution and they had purpose. This one didn't Without spoiling anything there was a lot of scenes that just were completely unnecessary to the film. It was like Anderson was trying to push some envelope when he just didn't need too. He's PT Anderson. It was like he watched that scene in The Shining of the people in animal costumes blowing each other and said "I want to do THAT about eight times in my new film". I kept saying to myself "Why did that happen? Maybe they'll explain lat...oh **** the movie is over". Usually I like these kind of movies but it was just off for me.
I think I need to see this movie again. I wanted to love it so bad but ended up just being fixated on the aesthetic aspects such as the camera work and acting. PT Anderson is so much more than that and I feel like I'm going to be itching for another film in the next year so that I get my fix. I'm not even going to rate this one. I just can't. It's a film that needs to be seen but also a film that could gave been just so amazing but ends up falling short.