Andrew Sarris called the film "an impressive achievement in its confident expertness in rendering the simulated realities of a bygone time and place, largely with an inspired use of regional amateur actors and extras with all the right moves and sounds." [45] In Premiere, Glenn Kenny praised Day-Lewis's performance: "Once his Plainview takes wing, the relentless focus of the performance makes the character unique." [46] Manohla Dargis wrote, in her review for The New York Times, "the film is above all a consummate work of art, one that transcends the historically fraught context of its making, and its pleasures are unapologetically aesthetic." [47] Best Movies: My favorites of the year and the decade". Slate. December 21, 2009. Archived from the original on December 26, 2019 . Retrieved December 31, 2009. The interior mansion scenes were filmed at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, the former real-life home of Edward Doheny Jr., a gift from his father, Edward Doheny. Scenes filmed at Greystone involved the careful renovation of the basement's two-lane bowling alley. [32] Anderson said it was "a particular situation, because it was so narrow that there could only be a very limited number of people at any given time, maybe five or six behind the camera and then the two boys." [19] Day-Lewis later broke a rib in a fall during filming. [33] Whilst I could rave about the film in most of its entirety, which I broadly did here, I wanted to highlight a specific scene near the beginning. BAFTA Film Award Winners in 2008". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Archived from the original on 2012-02-13 . Retrieved 2008-02-19.

Entertainment Weekly critic Lisa Schwarzbaum named There Will Be Blood the decade's best film as well. In her original review, Schwarzbaum stated:The 21st Century's 100 greatest films". BBC. 23 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2020-06-24 . Retrieved 2018-09-27. Hornaday, Ann (December 27, 2009). "Best of the decade: Film". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012 . Retrieved December 27, 2009. University of Nebraska Omaha". Archived from the original on 10 September 2015 . Retrieved 11 January 2017.

The context, if needed, is that Daniel Day Lewis’ character Daniel is trying to buy the Sunday family’s land so he can drill for oil. However, the Sunday family, whilst unexpecting of the offer, assume they’re there to hunt for Quails.Nonesuch Records Times (UK), Evening Standard Give "There Will Be Blood" Five Stars". 11 February 2008. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016 . Retrieved 11 January 2017. Oldham, Stuart (2007-12-18). "Austin Film Critics draw 'Blood' ". Variety. Archived from the original on 2007-12-22 . Retrieved 2008-01-19.

There Will Be Blood review – Roger Ebert". Chicago Sun-Times. January 4, 2008. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021 . Retrieved February 19, 2021. Giles, Jeff (2007-12-10). "There Will Be Blood, No Country For Old Men Top Critics' Awards: New York, LA, Boston and D.C. scribes honor the best of 2007". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Archived from the original on 2007-12-21 . Retrieved 2007-12-22. Daniel becomes suspicious of Henry after he failed to recognize a local joke and confronts him one night at gunpoint. "Henry" confesses that he was a friend of the real Henry, who died of tuberculosis, and that he had impersonated Henry in the hope that Daniel could give him a job. Although the impostor promises to leave and never return, an enraged Daniel murders him and buries his body. Daniel drinks heavily and weeps. The next morning, Daniel is awakened by Bandy, who knows of Daniel's crime and wants him to publicly repent in Eli's church in exchange for an easement for the pipeline running across his land. As part of his baptism, Eli humiliates Daniel and coerces him into confessing that he abandoned his son. Later, while the pipeline is being built, H.W. reunites with Daniel, and Eli becomes a missionary.

Freydkin, Donna (December 10, 2007). "Daniel Day-Lewis has recognition in his 'Blood' ". USA Today. Archived from the original on January 18, 2008 . Retrieved December 21, 2007. Anderson said that the line in the final scene, "I drink your milkshake!", was paraphrased from a quote by former Secretary of the Interior and U.S. Senator from New Mexico, Albert Fall speaking before a Congressional investigation into the 1920s oil-related Teapot Dome scandal. Anderson said he was fascinated "to see that word [milkshake] among all this official testimony and terminology" to explain the complicated process of oil drainage. [24] In 2013, an independent attempt to locate the statement in Fall's testimony proved unsuccessful—an article published in the Case Western Reserve Law Review suggested that the actual source of the paraphrased quote may instead have been remarks in 2003 by Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico during a debate over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. [25] In those remarks, Domenici stated: [26] Total Film - GamesRadar+". Archived from the original on 31 January 2017 . Retrieved 11 January 2017.