Quentin Tarantino Blasts Paul Dano in There Will Be Blood: ‘He’s Weak Sauce’

Quentin Tarantino addressed one of There Will Be Blood’s most debated casting choices during a recent appearance on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. The filmmaker explained why Paul Dano’s performance as Paul and Eli Sunday limited the film’s impact. He said this performance kept it from ranking higher on his list of the best movies of the 21st century.

Quentin Tarantino on why There Will Be Blood isn’t his favorite 2000s movie

Quentin Tarantino stated that There Will Be Blood could have ranked number one or two on his list of best 21st-century films, but a major flaw held it back. On The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, he explained, “There Will Be Blood would stand a good chance at being no. 1 or 2 if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it … and the flaw is Paul Dano.” Tarantino criticized Dano’s dual role as Paul and Eli Sunday, saying, “[Dano] is weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister.”

Tarantino compared Dano unfavorably to Daniel Day-Lewis, indicating the disparity disrupted the film’s intended dynamic. “Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, but it’s also drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander,” he said. He described Dano’s performance as “weak, weak, uninteresting,” adding, “The weakest fucking actor in SAG.”

Despite this, Tarantino praised Paul Thomas Anderson’s direction and Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance. “Daniel Day-Lewis. The old-style craftsmanship is evident in the film,” he said. “It had an old Hollywood craftsmanship without trying to be like that,” he added, noting the film’s narrative-driven focus and minimal use of set pieces.

Tarantino offered an alternative casting choice, suggesting a younger actor could have improved the film. “Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role,” he said, even though Butler was only 15 at the time of the film’s release. He emphasized his point by reiterating, “He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy.”

Tarantino made the comments during a podcast episode that focused on ranking the top films of the century. He continued his ongoing practice of publicly critiquing and ranking films and performances in open forums.

Source: Comingsoon.net