Quentin Tarantino, known for speaking openly about the film industry, recently sparked conversation with remarks he made on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. During the discussion, he shared that while he considers There Will Be Blood one of the strongest films of the 21st century, he believes one performance holds it back.

Tarantino explained that he has great admiration for the movie overall and praised Daniel Day-Lewis’ award-winning role. However, he felt the balance between the two lead characters didn’t work as intended. In his view, Paul Dano’s performance didn’t carry the same weight, which he described as the film’s “main flaw.”

He added that this opinion isn’t based on one movie alone, noting that Dano’s acting style simply doesn’t resonate with him personally. He mentioned that there are several actors he hasn’t connected with over the years, and Dano happens to be one of them.

After the podcast aired, many film fans shared their own perspectives online. A large number of viewers disagreed with Tarantino’s assessment, saying they felt Dano delivered a memorable and powerful performance. Others found the director’s comments surprising given his long-standing reputation for working with a wide range of acting styles.

The discussion has continued across social media, with many people offering respectful counterpoints and sharing why the film remains meaningful to them. UNILAD has reached out to representatives for both Tarantino and Dano for any further comments.